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News24 reports that frustrated Cape Town bus commuters say Golden Arrow Bus Services' (GABS) price hikes are a major blow to the poor who struggle to get to their daily destinations.
Earlier this week, GABS said it would be increasing its bus fares by 7% as of 1 April. The previous fare hike was in September last year. Explaining that GABS was no longer able to absorb rising costs across the supply chain and had no other option but to increase the fares, general manager Derick Meyer indicated: "We remain acutely aware of the difficult economic climate in which our passengers find themselves in and therefore took the unprecedented decision to delay our standard end-of-year increase which should have taken place in December 2023. This (April) increase is not only unavoidable but essential to ensure that Golden Arrow is able to remain sustainable and to maintain the same exceptional level of services which 96% of passengers would recommend to friends and family." Commuters, however, said the company's increase was a "massive burden" on the less fortunate, who relied daily on buses to get to their places of work. Meanwhile, Ryno Saaiers of the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) said that individual associations had the right to increase their fares, “but Santaco would not be implementing a blanket fare increase." Metrorail Western Cape said they would also not be increasing their fares.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisalee Solomons and Mothushi Thoka at News24
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