Delegates shocked by state of buses

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The MPs, who serve on economic and business development as well as trade and international relations committees, had planned to catch the municipality off-guard with the surprise visit, but they were the ones who were left with raised eyebrows.

This was because some of the buses had broken windows and were only being cleaned on their arrival.

The visit was part of the committees' oversight visit to the Bay.

In an interview after the visit, joint committee chairman Lutho Suka said they would summon the municipality and all role-players involved in the project to an urgent meeting in Cape Town.

Suka said they were hoping the meeting would be within 14 days.

"After having this first-hand [experience] of the buses, our resolve is much stronger that we must summon all the roleplayers "" the municipality and the province "" to a meeting in Cape Town to find a solution to the stalemate of the buses that are not moving.

"That is a serious indictment to our government. Surely the meeting [has to be within] 14 days because it is urgent and we are serious about this matter," he said.

ANC MP Masefako Dikgale said those involved in the troubled IPTS should be brought to book.

A representative of the company cleaning the buses said they had only been instructed on Wednesday by IPTS boss Mhleli Tshamase to clean the buses, thinking the MPs would only inspect them on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, after a site visit to Transnet Engineering in Uitenhage, the politicians convened in a boardroom where it was announced that a surprise visit would be made to the IPTS buses.

However, when Suka inquired about where the buses were parked, no one could provide an answer.

Drivers who drove the MPs around on the tour were then called into the boardroom and asked to take the politicians to Markman Township.

Source: Herald