Mobility
- Whether his Department has supported the rollout of the Dial-a-Ride service; if not, why not; if so, what are the detailed breakdown of the support provided per year from the inception of the project to date;
- with reference to the City of Cape Town’s decision to scale down the Dial-a-Ride service from September 2025, which will result in the service being available only to wheelchair users and individuals with severe walking impairments, whether his Department is intervening to ensure that no one is left without this essential service; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
- Whether his Department has supported the rollout of the Dial-a-Ride service; if not, why not; if so, what are the detailed breakdown of the support provided per year from the inception of the project to date;
The Dial a Ride (DaR) service was launched in 2002 to provide specialised transport for commuters with physical impairments who are unable to make use of conventional public transport.
The DaR service is managed and operated by the City of Cape Town (CoCT), with financial support from the Western Cape Mobility Department. The Department currently contributes R10 million annually towards the service, under the framework of a three-year Transfer Payment Agreement with the CoCT. This contribution reflects the Department’s commitment to promoting universal access, social inclusion, and improved mobility for persons with disabilities.
The Department’s role in relation to the DaR service is supportive in nature and does not extend to operational or service design decisions. The Department therefore plays a policy, funding, and oversight role, while operational management and decisions relating to the scaling of services remain the responsibility of the CoCT.
The Department has contributed the following amounts to the CoCT from the inception of the DaR service:
FINANCIAL YEAR | AMOUNT TRANSFERED |
2006/2007 | R 28,922,000 |
2007/2008 | R 13,133,000 |
2008/2009 | R 14,599,500 |
2009/2010 | R 4,866,500 |
2010/2011 | R 17,533,000 |
2011/2012 | R 10,000,000 |
2012/2013 | R 10,000,000 |
2013/2014 | R 10,000,000 |
2014/2015 | R 10,000,000 |
2015/2016 | R 10,000,000 |
2016/2017 | R 10,000,000 |
2017/2018 | R 10,000,000 |
2018/2019 | R 10,000,000 |
2019/2020 | R 10,000,000 |
2020/2021 | R 10,000,000 |
2021/2022 | R 10,000,000 |
2022/2023 | R 10,000,000 |
2023/2024 | R 10,000,000 |
2024/2025 | R 10,000,000 |
2025/2026 | Transfer in process |
TOTAL | R 219,054,000 |
- with reference to the City of Cape Town’s decision to scale down the Dial-a-Ride service from September 2025, which will result in the service being available only to wheelchair users and individuals with severe walking impairments, whether his Department is intervening to ensure that no one is left without this essential service; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
The Department has explored avenues together with the City of Cape Town, to secure additional funding, including engagements with the National Department of Social Development. However, no additional allocations were made available.
While the Department regrets the impact that this realignment will have on users who no longer qualify, without additional funding, the intervention is the only mechanism to protect the long-term sustainability of the service for those with the most severe mobility impairments.
The Province recognises that access to transport is a constitutional right and an essential enabler of social and economic participation. While municipalities bear the primary mandate for local transport service delivery in terms of the National Land Transport Act, the Province has a responsibility to ensure that no person is excluded.
Accordingly, the Department is implementing the following interventions:
- Policy and Planning
- Development of a Provincial Public Transport Strategy to continue to support, improve and expand this dedicated transport service for passengers with special needs in Cape Town, together with the City of Cape Town.
- Integration of accessibility measures into the Provincial Land Transport Framework and ensuring that municipal Integrated Transport Plans comply with universal access requirements.
- Funding
- Financial contribution to the amount of R10mill to support to the CoCT with the Dial A Ride service.
- Oversight and Regulation
- Requiring the municipality to report annually on their provision of universal accessible services.
- Partnerships
- Providing the municipality with support to manage universally accessible services.
Through these measures, the Province is ensuring that universal accessibility is progressively mainstreamed into public transport systems, while maintaining specialised services as an interim reasonable accommodation so that no person is left outside of this essential service.
Accordingly, while the Department is not in a position to prevent the scaling down of the DaR service due to fiscal and mandate limitations, it is actively pursuing a long-term strategy of building universally accessible transport networks that will ultimately provide a more sustainable and inclusive solution for all residents, including persons with disabilities. The DaR service remains a critical intervention in promoting mobility, dignity, and equal access for persons with disabilities. While the CoCT has the discretion to reduce the scope of the service in response to financial pressures, the Department continues to play an important role in providing financial support, ensuring that eligibility criteria are fair and transparent. The Department remains committed to working collaboratively with the CoCT to safeguard the sustainability of the service and to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable users are met. The Department will continue to reaffirm its supportive role in the DaR service while simultaneously advocating for additional resources to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the service.
