However, the buses cannot operate until the funds are officially in their account, said Putco spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu.
“We do not have the means and funds to operate and we are relying on this to be fully paid. If the payment is made on Monday, it means we can make considerations only on Monday when the money reflects and we can place an order for the diesel and it can take up to two days,” he said.
Passengers who have bought a monthly or weekly ticket will be reimbursed for their lost trips.
Xulu said those in the southern parts of Gauteng, like Soweto and Eldorado Park, who bought tickets have an option to extend their weekly bus trips by an additional three or four days. Those with a monthly ticket have two months to use the ticket after its purchase.
“But for the northern sides like Ekangala, KwaMhlanga, Tshwane, they use the old system and we will discount them going forward for a ticket. When they purchase the next time, we will discount them and give them all their trips.
“We will be meeting with the provincial department of transport to find a way forward.”
TimesLIVE
Lack of funds for diesel puts brakes on Putco bus service but commuters to be reimbursed for tickets
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE/SOWETAN
Putco commuters will be reimbursed for their weekly tickets as the bus service will not operate until funds from the Gauteng department of transport show in its account.
Commuters were left stranded on Thursday when the bus service halted its operations due to a diesel shortage. The bus company had not received the subsidies needed to operate.
This left 1,400 Putco buses out of service after diesel stocks ran low on Wednesday.
But the Gauteng transport department's payment to the company for March was captured and will only reflect in Putco’s bank account on Monday, said spokesperson Melitah Madiba.
“Delays in processing subsidised bus operators’ payments for March are a result of a widely known procedure and trend. The public transport operating grant (PTOG) is only transferred to the province by the national department of transport in the first week of May each financial year,” she said.
Putco to suspend services because Gauteng hasn't paid subsidy
However, the buses cannot operate until the funds are officially in their account, said Putco spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu.
“We do not have the means and funds to operate and we are relying on this to be fully paid. If the payment is made on Monday, it means we can make considerations only on Monday when the money reflects and we can place an order for the diesel and it can take up to two days,” he said.
Passengers who have bought a monthly or weekly ticket will be reimbursed for their lost trips.
Xulu said those in the southern parts of Gauteng, like Soweto and Eldorado Park, who bought tickets have an option to extend their weekly bus trips by an additional three or four days. Those with a monthly ticket have two months to use the ticket after its purchase.
“But for the northern sides like Ekangala, KwaMhlanga, Tshwane, they use the old system and we will discount them going forward for a ticket. When they purchase the next time, we will discount them and give them all their trips.
“We will be meeting with the provincial department of transport to find a way forward.”
TimesLIVE
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