Cape Town wants to get its integrated rapid transport system up and running as quickly as possible but it has hit another speed bump. Some of the drivers expected to operate the vehicles have drug or drinking problems.
Substance abuse by taxi operators precluded them from the IRT jobs offers. Image:
Online CollegeThe city has established 13 operational IRT routes and 19 others - which will connect Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to the city centre - are planned for next year.
The minibus-taxi operators who used to control the routes have been offered compensation for surrendering their operating licences and vehicles, and their drivers were given the chance to operate the MyCiti buses.
But councillor Brett Herron, the mayoral committee member responsible for transport, said that some of the prospective drivers had been found to have substance-abuse problems.
"We can confirm that a small minority of the minibus-taxi drivers failed screening tests for medical reasons that included substance abuse. Substance abuse covers alcohol and drugs," said Herron.
"In instances in which the individuals were found to have a problem with substance abuse, we are offering them time to rehabilitate themselves after which they will be given another screening test," he added.
Herron said the drivers undergo vision, health, drug and alcohol tests. He would not be drawn into revealing the types of drugs the drivers were found to have taken.
"This is confidential medical information that cannot be shared with the media or public," he said.
Herron would not say how many drivers were required for the operation of the IRT service. "We are operating a frequent IRT service for about 18 hours a day, seven days a week. Drivers work in shifts and [so] there are a large number of driving jobs available," said Herron.
