By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Bus operator Piotrans Business Rescue Practitioner Mahier Tayob has unveiled a fleet of 10 new buses that will operate under the Rea Vaya bus service.
Piotrans was placed under business rescue in December 2023 following a dispute with creditors.
The High Court in Johannesburg placed Pio-Trans under business rescue amid allegations of corruption and maladministration.
Tayob was in Soweto along with Joburg MMC for Transport Kenny Kunene on a multi-stakeholder engagement with those in the transport sector and Piotrans shareholders.
He has vowed to recoup the money lost through maladministration and fraud at PioTrans.
The Rea Vaya service faced a number of issues over the past year, including labour disputes and payment disputes, which led to the disruption of services on more than one occasion.
“This is the first batch of buses that is coming in,” said Kunene.
“They are all going to be branded Rea Vaya. These are going to be the feeder buses.”
Kunene vowed that there would be consequences for those who are responsible for the financial woes at Pio-Trans.
“My message to the officials is that if your heart was here to destroy Pio-Trans, you better run. To the mechanics who have been destroying the buses, run.”
“If you are found destroying these buses, you will be dealt with like a dog deals with a bone. Pio-Trans is delivering a service of bus operation on behalf of the City of Johannesburg, so we will not sit back.”
Kunene also revealed that the city is working on plans to install a cashless system on the Rea Vaya buses.
“We want to introduce a cashless system in the buses so that the drivers can deal with that evil that makes them take money and put it in their pockets. When you take money and put it in your pocket, you are destroying your job because when Pio-Trans shuts down, you are going to lose your job.”
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Video Courtesy of SABC.