From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. Following protracted negotiations between city officials and taxi association leaders, the City of Johannesburg last month rolled out the second phase of the Rea Vaya bus rapid transit (BRT) system, in Johannesburg. Engineering News’ Natalie Greve has the story.

Natalie Greve:
The launch of the R1.7-billion Phase 1b, which will operate on a dedicated lane between Noordgesig station, in Soweto, and Ellis Park station, in Doornfontein, came shortly after the conclusion of an “equitable deal” that will see the remuneration of public transport operators affected by the introduction of an alternative public transport system.

While city officials would not elaborate on the nature or extent of this remuneration, City of Johannesburg executive mayor Parks Tau said at the launch that the in-principle agreement had outlined a business model that allowed former bus and taxi operators to be redeployed within the Rea Vaya system, effectively running the second phase from May next year.

City of Johannesburg executive mayor Parks Tau

Natalie Greve:
Tau explained that the BRT system was aimed at dismantling spatial segregation and enabling residents in the urban periphery to gain access to facilities and institutions within the city’s commercial hubs.

It also formed part of the city’s larger Corridors of Freedom initiative, which aimed to develop well-planned transport arteries linked to interchanges dedicated to mixed-used development, such as high-density accommodation supported by office buildings, retail development and recreation sites.

Parks Tau

Natalie Greve:
Users of the second-phase route would be able to access key public hospitals, such as Rahima Moosa, private hospitals, such as Parklane Clinic, as well as educational institutions, including the University of the Witwatersrand, or Wits.

Thirteen new Rea Vaya stations were built along the 93 km route, which is expected to carry 134 buses and up to 60 000 commuters a day.

This trunk route service is further supported by complementary bus services, which start on end routes in mixed traffic but join the trunk route at a later stage, and feeder bus services, which start in mixed traffic and end at a Rea Vaya station.

Parks Tau

Natalie Greve:
Construction on the third phase of the Rea Vaya BRT system is set to start next year and will see the construction of a dedicated bus lane and service from Wits to the Sandton Gautrain station.

Shannon de Ryhove:
Other news making headlines this week: Plans are under way to grow South Africa’s biogas industry; The development of Africa’s maritime sector is to be prioritised; and DAF aims for an 8 to 10% market share.

The successful implementation of a biogas-to-energy plant at the City of Johannesburg's Northern Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) has sparked plans to roll out the technology to other energy-intensive wastewater works in South Africa's most populous province.

Peter Louw City of Johannesburg biogas project engineer

Africa is starting to see the maritime industry as a key strategic sector and its development will be prioritised in future, African Union Commission chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said at the inaugural Africa Maritime Indaba, in Sandton.

African Union Commission chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

Babcock aims to accelerate DAF’s heavy-duty vehicle market share from between 1 and 2% currently, to between 8 and 10% within the next four years, says Babcock Africa division CEO Roger O’Callaghan.

Babcock Africa division CEO Roger O’Callaghan

That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy.