Media Release by Daylin Mitchell, Western Cape Minister of Transport and Public Works
Today, I handed over 20 bicycles to the Baptist Church Grassy Park, Cape Town. The handover is part of the Provincial Sustainable Transport Programme (PSTP) that was initiated by the Department of Transport and Public Works to support the development and implementation of sustainable transport systems in the Western Cape.
The PSTP aims to develop sustainable transport systems through forming partnerships with key stakeholders, including with local municipalities, communities and businesses.
The PSTP’s Provincial Bicycle Distribution Programme identified that lack of access to affordable bicycles, is a major obstacle to increasing bicycle mobility, especially for poor communities.
The initial intention of the programme is thus to provide bicycles to functioning mobility programmes.
Community Safety Programmes, of which Neighbourhood Watches form part, are a strategic focus area for the programme in its pilot phase.
On the 10th November 2020, as part of the Hotspot Strategy, the Department of Transport and Public Works in partnership with The Bicycle Consortium (Qhubeka, Pedal Power Association and Ben Bikes) launched the first round of the Bicycle Distribution.
The initial goal was to distribute up to 400 bicycles (which was achieved earlier in 2021) to Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in the six Western and Southern hotspot areas: Atlantis, Dunoon, Langa, Grassy Park and surroundings, Masiphumelele and Retreat.
Today’s delivery in Grassy Park is of an additional 20 as part of the hotspot programme. Another 20 will be handed out over the next two weeks.
The PSTP is particularly focused on improving the conditions for walking and cycling and public transport facilities. Within the Western Cape non-metro areas, 35% of people walk to work as their primary mode of transport, and 46% of learners walk to school. Car ownership is usually limited to higher income brackets and therefore 50% to 72% of people rely on non-motorised transport (NMT), lifts or public transport. This makes NMT interventions, such as provision for safe walking and cycling, a high priority within these regions. Bicycles provide an opportunity to improve mobility and increase access to opportunities for those for whom public transport is unaffordable.
All beneficiaries of the bicycles go through the application and selection process which includes:
A call for CBOs to apply which is advertised on the community WhatsApp groups for all six hotspot areas.
- Applications are received via email, and WhatsApp.
- All applications are captured onto a dynamic database management system and then followed up telephonically
- Each application is scored according to predefined judging criteria
- After scoring, applications are sorted by subdistrict and area.
- Scores are vetted
- Applications scoring 75% and above are selected
- Successful recipients are notified
- The Bicycle Consortium prepares receipt of donation forms.
- Unsuccessful Applicants are also notified via email and WhatsApp
Providing bicycles to the most deserving citizens reduces the barriers they face and increase their reach and better meet the needs of the people they serve.
Bicycles are easily accessible modes of transport especially in our communities. As government, we need to pay special attention when we design our communities and promote non-motorised transport like bicycles and build more bicycle lanes.
Media Queries:
Ntomboxolo Makoba-Somdaka
Spokesperson for Minister Daylin Mitchell
Cell: 082 953 0026
Email: Ntomboxolo.Makoba-Somdaka@westerncape.gov.za