The Gautrain has long stood as a symbol of what efficient public infrastructure in South Africa can look like – reliable, safe, and professionally managed.
However, there is growing concern that Gauteng provincial government’s poor governance, financial mismanagement, and political interference may undermine its sustainability. When strategic public assets are not protected through sound planning and accountability, the consequences are felt by commuters, taxpayers, and the broader economy.
South Africans deserve leadership that builds and maintains infrastructure – not leadership that allows it to deteriorate. Public transport is not a political trophy; it is an economic lifeline. If the ANC fails to safeguard institutions that work, we risk normalising decline. The real question is not whether we can build world-class projects – we already have. The question is whether we can govern them responsibly.
South Africa cannot afford to say goodbye to functioning systems.
Tsepo Mhlongo, Orlando East
