Minister Carlisle Slams Metrorail Fare Increase as "Totally Unacceptable"

Robin Carlisle, the Minister of Transport and Public Works in the Western Cape, has said that he wants Metrorail "to adjust its planned fare increase from the totally unacceptable 27% planned for 1 April 2012 to a single-digit figure".

Although there had been no increases in fares from 2003 and 2010, Metrorail's planned 27% increase for 2012, added to 2011's 33% increase, means that there will be an effective 60% rise in fares in just two years.

"This increase is totally unacceptable for the following reasons (which I have discussed with Metrorail's Western Cape Regional Manager Mthura Swartz):"

• "The continuing extremely poor service of Metrorail."
• "Instead of these huge ad hoc increases there should be a small increase each year, not greater than the inflation rate."
• "1 April is too soon for an increase to be implemented because it does not give commuters time to plan their finances."
• "It appears that Metrorail's budgeting took into account the projected electricity tariff increase of 25.9% for 2012/2013, which has since been adjusted to 16% - their actual costs will therefore be lower than expected and Metrorail should have adjusted their increase accordingly."

"It appears that there is no end in sight to the indignities inflicted on Metrorail customers, who for years have borne the brunt of bad planning and a lack of investment in rolling stock," Minister Carlisle said.