As in the old apartheid days, police will escort the luxury buses that transport MPs from their parliamentary villages to work. That’s if proposals by the joint committee on members’ support are approved.
The committee’s strategic planning session in May resulted in a proposal stating that pre-1994 police protection should be reinstated because ”a bus can have a breakdown at any place while transporting members”. Yet, said African National Congress MP Jean Benjamin, such measures should not lead to MPs ”being repressed, being made to feel like [criminals]”.
Transport problems have dogged MPs for some time, with complaints ranging from sub-standard vehicles to breakdowns, or buses running out of petrol. The tender currently up for grabs is for a semi-luxury service. But MPs have requested a luxury service and a review is underway by the public works department, which is responsible for transporting parliamentarians.
Public works has also been asked to find out why no more than one or two companies usually apply for the two-year contracts. New National Party MP Johann Durand, who said he no longer had transport interests of his own, suggested increasing the tender value. MPs are also concerned about school pupils taking up bus seats meant for MPs and other parliamentary officials.
The children have their own buses, which leave at 6.30am to take them to school in the Goodwood and Cape Town areas, but, said ANC caucus chairperson Joyce Kgoali, ”They don’t want to wake up [early]”. The committee agreed that school children would have to use their own buses in the morning, while arrangements for afternoon transport would be canvassed with parliamentarians, to take into consideration the children’s extramural activities.
Travel costs for MPs are receiving attention because current arrangements do no take into consideration travel between the airport and home or constituencies. The committee has proposed financial compensation for travel over 50km in constituencies.