COUNCIL SPEECH

MARKETING THE BRT SYSTEM NOW IS AN EMPTY PROMISE

My speech held at the Council meeting held on 30 June 2011)

Madam Speaker.

This item must be viewed with great caution if not with a certain degree of suspicion.

Before I elaborate on the reasons why the DA question the timing and the sensibility – or lack thereof, of approving a marketing strategy for the BRT system at this point and time, let me first and foremost reaffirm the DA’s support for the BRT system. The Bus Rapid Transit system will be an essential part of public transport in addressing the needs of commuters to travel between home and workplace. The Tshwane Metro needs the BRT system if it wants to grow its economy by mobilising its workforce effectively.

The report asks for the approval of a Marketing Communication Strategy for the Tshwane BRT that was developed by Phenyo In Media Consultancy.
This marketing strategy comprises of the following elements: Stakeholder Relations Management, Public Relations and Media, Events Management, Inter-governmental Relations and Corporate Identity Management.

A reality check forces one to seriously question the need to approve this marketing strategy. How can one entertain marketing ideas if the BRT system itself is far from ready to be implemented? We all know that the BRT system will not be ready soon – in fact, some predictions indicates that it will not even be ready for a number of years. Sound marketing principles dictate that you first produce the product or service and then design the marketing strategy thereof. Let me put it plainly, any marketing endeavour of the BRT system at this point of time will in actual fact be misleading and a misrepresentation of the reality. Indeed an empty promise if nothing else. At costs that are not indicated in this report – and who will foot the bill? The rates and taxpayers of course.

The DA cannot support a marketing strategy of a service that does not exist. It will be much wiser to use our energy and resources to rescue the basic bus services and to prevent the complete collapse of public transport services rendered by the Tshwane Metro.

Let us restore a reliable bus service. Let us do the right things first to ensure the actual realisation of the BRT system. In this respect I want to make a request that the Strategic Integrated Transport Plan be tabled as a matter of great urgency – we need to know how we are going forward with Transport in general.
In conclusion, the DA is appealing to you that we revisit this report and reconsider the way forward with ` public transport. Commuters and the public at large deserve tangible service delivery results, not empty promises.