Benefits of the Transport Authority

Some of the benefits of establishing the eThekwini Transport Authority are summarised here.

Passenger benefits, local accountability, and co-ordinated decision making

Establishing a local transport authority managing the provision of the full range of public transport services provides passengers with a single access point to all.

It enables strong, locally driven and oriented decision-making and local accountability. Unlike the largely fragmented decision-making of multi-sphere government, the ETA will be able to make quick decisions, and to respond fast and appropriately to passenger and other customer needs. Fragmentation of responsibilities has been recognised as a major source of inefficient and wasteful use of available funding.

Alignment with policy

Clause 156 (4) of the SA Constitution requires national and provincial governments to support and strengthen municipalities. More specifically, it supports the devolution of transport functions to the lowest appropriate sphere of government. Formation of the ETA is in support of this requirement.

Executive responsibility

The formation of the ETA has advantages over operating under the direction of the eThekwini Metropolitan Transport Advisory Board (MTAB). The Transport Authority has executive powers and is equipped with a far broader range of functions and powers such as the regulation of market entry, and the contracting of subsidised services. The TA is more democratic and politically accountable since its governing body consists of elected representatives, such as Councillors.