DA concerned about GNT buses’ free Wi-Fi initiative

LIMPOPO – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo has lambasted that Great North Transport (GNT) jeopardizes its profitability with the recent installation of free Wi-Fi on their buses.

The DA announced that it will write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET), Mapula Mokaba-Phukwana to summon GNT CEO, Matate Mokoele, to provide details on the rationale to award a contract for the installation of Wi-Fi on their buses.

Last week, the public entity announced on social media that it has started to roll out the installation of free Wi-Fi on buses in the Vhembe District. The DA expressed concerns that GNT is prioritizing non-essential supplementary services to their commuters at the expense of critical operational requirements.

Risham Maharaj, DA Limpopo spokesperson on LEDET, cited that GNT has not been financially viable for eight years and that the recent oversights at their eight bus depots confirmed that the turn-around strategy has left them under-resourced and understaffed to provide logistical and mechanical support to the dwindling fleet.

Maharaj further lambasted that the current challenges GNT face include failure to meet its contractual obligations to provide a sufficient fleet of buses by the fourth quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year.

“Unreliable schedule for pick-up times, which leaves commuters in the lurch, Lack of roadworthiness of the GNT buses and persistent challenges at GNT bus depots remain persistent. The funds utilized for the installation and maintenance of this Wi-Fi project could have been used to improve the operations of GNT or to service buses. Lack of information on the tender process, contract amount and time frames are indicative of yet another asinine plan to enrich cadres at the expense of dependable public transport network. We will get to the bottom of this to ensure that poor communities who cannot afford other modes of transport receive safe and reliable transport from GNT,” concluded Maharaj.

Thapelo Motseo

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