Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698137723231.pdf (South Africa)
Mitigating the impact of Covid-19 in the Transport Industry 06 MAY 2021 Ms Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe Content • Introduction • Impact of Covid-19 on passenger transport • Covid-19 impact on air transport • Support to the Public Transport Industry • Covid-19 Management in the workplace • Conclusions 2 Introduction • The transport sector in the Eastern Cape (like the rest of SA) has been and continues to be severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• As data informed us that Covid-19 move with the movement of people, the restrictions implemented were necessary have had a lasting impact on the public transport sector.

• The bus industry is struggling with reduced ridership and it may take a while to recover.

• Infrastructure investment has been impacted as a result of delays experienced.
3 Impact of Covid-19 on passenger transport  Bus passenger services operating local services in the provinces are not yet fully operational due to a number of issues i.e.

working from home / rotational work concept still being applied in organisations as well as schools and institutions of higher learning leading to reduced ridership.
 Both Algoa Bus Company and Mayibuye Transport Corporation (MTC) closed for a period of 5 weeks from March 2020 inline with the National Lockdown regulations and operated under the Level 4 lock down with a 50 % carrying capacity  During level 1 ridership increased at Algoa Bus up to 75 % carrying capacity in order to accommodate workers from various industries including the opening of schools and universities.
Initially, Algoa Bus had procured PPEs for themselves, however, the department has since supplied all public transport operators with PPEs which were procured from a reprioritized budget for the procurement of PPEs.

 4 Impact of Covid-19 on passenger transport  Currently, Algoa Bus Company operates at 80 % of its capacity.
 The department had experienced an impasse with the Bus Company with receives government support through the PTOG wherein they demanded payment for standing kilometres instead of taking advantage of the various offerings from government.

5 Impact of Covid-19 on passenger transport • With respect to MTC, the pandemic resulted in the decline in revenue collected due to fewer number of passengers transported and unreliable service rendered to passengers.
• The trip schedule was also amended due to less passenger demand.

• At Level 2, the transport regulation permitting passenger-carrying capacity was amended to 70% for long distance travel and 100% for short distance trips with effect from 18 August 2020 hence the increase in revenue.

6 Impact of Covid-19 on passenger transport • COVID 19 pandemic continues to be hindrance in ridership, the resurgence of the Second Wave in quarter 3 has negatively affected revenue collection and passengers transported.
Although the bus carrying capacity was 100%, there was still a fewer number of passengers travelling due to COVID-19 pandemic.

• 2019/20 Passenger Revenue - • 2020/21 Passenger Revenue - • Decline in Revenue 61% R 25 144 726.50 R 15 323 600.00 7 Covid-19 impact on air transport • Generally, Covid-19 has impact the movement of people and this has had an impact on the load factor with regards to the flying community as many business engagements are conducted virtually’.
• For Mthatha Airport which is the only government owned facility providing commercial air services, the situation is no different.

• Since the opening of the Airport, the current loads are on average between 20 to 30 passengers per flight and there has been a small increase since the airport opened after lock down.

• The air carrier has also reduced the number of flights in and out of the airport.
8 Support to the Public Transport Industry • Department set aside R13m from PTOG for the procurement of PPE`s for public transport operators inclusive of 680 X 25L sanitisers, 803 X 25L disinfectants, 600 masks, 270 distance markers and 2000 window stoppers which were distributed to the following: • Mayibuye Transport Cooperation, • Algoa Bus Company, • Africa Best 350 (AB350), • EC Small Bus Operators Council and • 193 Taxi Industry Associations.
9 Provision of Scholar Transport during Covid-19 • Scholar Transport Programme: on this flagship programme the department has for the 2020/21 FY over performed in this area with 124 000 learners ferried against a target of 87 000.

The over performance was a result of savings realized during the hard lockdown (level 5).

10 Transport Regulations and Law Enforcement • Systematic Examination of motor vehicles increased drastically over the 2020/21 FY due to the need to enforce transport regulations.
• The work of traffic law enforcement and other law enforcement agencies has been highly commended as the teams worked tirelessly during the National Lockdown.

• A trend picked up during level 5 and 4 was the high number of passenger vehicles (mini-bus taxis) moving between the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, while goods vehicles were notable between KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape.
11 Covid-19 Management in the workplace • An OHS committee is in place and a protocol was developed to guide the implementation of mitigating strategies across the department i.e.

social distancing, wearing of masks, screening, satitising etc.

• A total of 257 employees within EC DoT were infected, however none of the cases reported originated from the workplace.

• 15 employees succumbed to Covid-19 related illnesses.

• Currently there are no active cases in the department.
• Covid-19 related services provided to employees include, (i) counselling indirectly by Covid-19.

257 internally.

(ii) 24/7 sessions for staff affected directly or employees that were provided emotional support Psychological services provided by a service provider.

• With support from Old Mutual, the department is providing 20 × 50L Water tanks to assist in road camps where there is no running water.
• During the 2020/21 FY the department spent R11, 4 million on Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) for distribution to employees.

12 CONCLUSION • As a department we keep monitoring the situation on the ground and provide the necessary support to industry stakeholders.

• We further expect that infrastructure programmes being implemented and those in the planning stages will assist the provinces the economic recovery initiatives.

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