Chris Gilili|Published
Commuters in Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain could face delays to planned MyCiTi bus service expansion if proposed cuts to public transport funding go ahead, the City of Cape Town has warned ahead of the budget speech.
Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility Rob Quintas said reductions to the Public Transport Network Grant (PTNG-BFI), and the proposed discontinuation of the grant thereafter, had created uncertainty over the long-term funding needed to expand the service and improve connections between communities and economic centres.
Funding uncertainty threatens long-term expansion
Quintas said the City’s existing allocation of approximately R7.1 billion for MyCiTi Phase 2A remains in place until June 2028.
“While the City’s existing PTNG-BFI allocation of approximately R7.1 billion for MyCiTi Phase 2A remains in place until June 2028, the broader reductions to PTNG funding and the proposed discontinuation of the grant thereafter create significant uncertainty regarding the long-term sustainability and expansion of the system.”
He said R2.5 billion remained available across the 2026/27 and 2027/28 financial years.
However, beyond that period, there is no clear, detailed or guaranteed funding framework for future MyCiTi corridor expansion, the completion of long-term Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) plans, supporting infrastructure, operational growth, or fleet expansion and replacement.
Quintas said the uncertainty was significant because public transport infrastructure projects required long-term planning and stable, predictable funding.
MyCiTi Phase 2A aims to connect communities
Quintas said the City remained committed to expanding MyCiTi, particularly Phase 2A, also known as the MSEC project.
The project is intended to connect communities in Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with Wynberg and Claremont through a scheduled, integrated public transport service.
However, he warned that uncertainty over future funding could put long-term projects and expansion plans at risk.
“The City is particularly concerned that without long-term funding certainty, the pace and scale of future expansion could be delayed or reduced,” Quintas said.
He said work on the current MSEC rollout continued across several construction packages in Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Wynberg and Claremont.
The work includes road upgrades, dedicated bus infrastructure, station construction and depot development.
City warns commuters could be affected
Quintas said MyCiTi carried approximately 19 million passenger trips annually. While implementing a project of this scale had brought challenges, the City remained confident that the service had significantly improved mobility options for residents.
“Cape Town’s public transport challenges remain significant, particularly for lower-income commuters travelling long distances between residential areas and economic centres,” he said.
“The proposed funding reductions therefore do not simply impact infrastructure projects, they directly impact commuters and the City’s ability to improve mobility outcomes for residents,” Quintas said.