The National Road Transportation Council (NRTC) has announced plans to introduce a new pre-paid system for public transport, with the pilot phase set to begin in November.
National Road Transportation Council Chairman Sabelo Dlamini confirmed that following extensive consultative meetings, the Council was now ready to roll out the initiative, which was expected to modernise payment methods and improve efficiency in the transport sector.
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“This system will be introduced for all public transport operators. We are pleading for patience as we prepare to pilot it,” Dlamini said.
Under the new arrangement, passengers will be able to pay their fares using platforms such as MoMo, bank cards and other digital methods. According to Dlamini, the goal was to reduce delays and create a smoother experience for commuters.
“Conductors will not be removed from the system. They will continue to play their role, but this initiative is about improving customer service,” he said.
As part of the project, the Council will also launch a mobile application called Bika, which will allow customers to report grievances and provide feedback.
“We once tried to introduce a similar system in the past, but it failed. This time we are determined to make it work. The Bika app will help us address customer care concerns more effectively,” Dlamini explained.
To ensure the public fully understands the changes, the Council has organised roadshows and outreach programmes. He said the first public engagement was scheduled for today in Pigg’s Peak, where officials, together with the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS), will educate commuters and operators about the system.
Dlamini noted that ERS was an important partner in the process as there were several issues related to compliance and operations that the public must be aware of before the pilot phase begins.
“We will pilot the system in November and use the feedback from members of the public to identify areas that need improvement,” he said.
He further appealed to public transport owners, operators and commuters to support the initiative.
“We know that change often comes with many questions, but this system is designed to improve efficiency and make travelling more convenient for everyone,” he added.
Dlamini stressed that the pre-paid system would only be fully implemented once all stakeholders were comfortable with how it works.
One of the public transport owners, Jika Ndlangamandla, was surprised at the development, saying they had not been informed about the arrangement.
“This is news to us. I only heard about it on radio and I wonder why it was not introduced to us first as transport owners,” he said.
Ndlangamandla added that they would seek to understand the matter further.
“For now, we are not involved in this process. Let us wait and see what eventually happens,” he noted.
He recalled that a similar system had been attempted before but failed. He wondered what had changed this time and why they were not involved.
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