In a fitting start to transport month on October 1, event organiser Vuka Group mobility group director Ben Pullen opened the Smarter Mobility Africa conference by emphasising the importance of enveloping the new urban area with systems that work for all people.

Since Africa is mostly powered by informal transport, traffic, inequality, poor planning and pollution, the continent needs to build more accessible, more inclusive, more dignified and cleaner mobility solutions.

Gautrain Management Agency CEO Tshepo Kgobe predicted that congestion in Gauteng would rise by more than 122% by 2050, which meant travelling at low speeds on various parts of the road in the province and traffic backing up into cities and suburbs.

“We have 5.1-million cars in Gauteng, which is poised to grow to 5.4-million cars within the next three years. This means adding 300 000 cars into an already congested space, while the population is growing over the longer term,” he pointed out.

To this end, the province is in the process of publishing an updated Gauteng Integrated Transport Master Plan, which is a 25-year strategy for the province. It was initially drafted in 2013 and is currently undergoing a significant review and update.

Kgobe’s vision for the future of transport in Gauteng centres on expanding the Gautrain rapid rail network and transforming its stations into integrated urban hubs.

He further noted how the informal transport sector had become a bedrock for commuters across the country and could, therefore, not be wished away or ignored; rather, it had to be integrated as part of the greater mobility journey in the country.

In pursuit of more accessible and inclusive public transport, The Global Trust Project executive director Dominic Wilhelm said the main challenge with remedying South Africa’s history of exclusion in the transport system was trust.

For example, South African Cities Network reports that more than 68% of minibus taxi operators feel excluded from policymaking processes, despite moving 15-million South Africans daily.

In turn, the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has found that only 22% of passengers believe government understands how they use taxis.

“In a system built on information agreements and street-level reputation, top-down change without community trust risks collapse,” Wilhelm stated.

For Global Trust Project, mobility reform is not a checklist to complete but a relationship to earn, which involves engaging transparently, honouring lived realities and being consistent with delivery. It also means building systems that reflect public intention and not just institutional image.

Mobility systems should have integrity – including sticking to agreements and timelines, meaningful consultation, practical solutions, reliability and proper training.

Wilhelm expressed confidence that South Africa had everything it needed to craft trust-rich pathways to mobility. “There is no excuse why we cannot exhibit trustworthiness.”

He added that collaboration between stakeholders such as government, the private sector, labour and society must emphasise dignity, because mobility that was out of the hands of many was not mobility with dignity.

South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) national spokesperson Rebecca Phala stated the organisation’s commitment to smarter, greener and safer solutions for all South Africans, with the organisation being “open for business” to collaborate with all stakeholders.

The minibus taxi industry moves 70% of commuters in the country.

“Mobility is about access, economic participation, dignity and nation building. Ours is an industry forged in adversity to fill the mobility void left by systemic exclusion. Today we remain the most relied upon and most affordable form of transport for commuters, yet, we are aware of criticism and challenges of violence and perception that hang heavy on the minibus taxi image,” Phala said.

She mentioned that the taxi industry had since 2020 acknowledged the need to corporatise and formalise, including to align with labour legislation, and embrace smart technology for fair collection and fleet management.

Phala confirmed that Santaco continued to trial automated and cashless payment solutions that worked towards the convenience of passengers and provided accountability for taxi operators.

She highlighted how the minibus taxi industry challenges could not be improved with off-the-shelf solutions, rather, it required bespoke solutions developed in partnership with commuters, operators, government and private sector.

Southern African Bus Operators Association chairperson Gideon Neethling also committed his organisation’s support for smart and safe mobility, particularly as the Golden Arrow bus service was electrifying its fleet, building charging stations and erecting solar panels. The company is on track to have 10% of its 1 200 bus fleet go electric next year. 

Neethling said the bus industry’s foremost challenge was lack of support from government, especially since it was expensive to finance electric buses compared with diesel, as well as a lack of skills on electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in the country.

City of Johannesburg transport director Lutando Maboza said the “new urban era” for the city meant mobility was a right and not a privilege, where every citizen could move safely and affordably.

“Our emphasis is on non-motorised transport and reducing reliance on private cars, as well as investing in transit-oriented development.”

Digital payments company Loop CEO Imtiyaaz Riley highlighted how digital systems were allowing for not only cashless payments but a more interconnected ecosystem in transport and encouraged more transport development to have digital technology at its core as a driver of inclusivity.

Having said that, he stressed the importance of financial education for commuters to understand these solutions and not widen the digital divide.

Overall, the experts agreed that mobility systems needed to be more accessible for all, including in rural areas. They also had to be greener and more digitised.