The City of Cape Town has started with the preparatory work for the construction of two MyCiTi bus depots in Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha.

The depots form part of the roll-out of Phase 2A of the City’s MyCiTi bus service which will serve 1,4 million commuters from the Metro South-east.

The preparatory or enabling works include major internal earthworks, perimeter fencing to secure the site, bulk services for the provision of water, sanitation, and electricity, as well as the upgrade of surrounding roads.

According to the Brett Herron, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development the enabling works contract is valued at approximately R73 million.

“We are currently busy with the design of the depot facilities which will consist of storage, parking, and fuelling facilities for the buses; office buildings, facilities for the personnel, and so forth,” Herron notes.

Job opportunities

“In terms of this contract for the enabling works for the construction of two new MyCiTi depots at this site, the contractor is obliged to provide temporary employment opportunities to local residents to the value of 3% of the contract – thus, approximately R2.1 million,” he explains.

The contractor is obliged to subcontract services and goods from local businesses amounting to 2% of the contract value, which in this case equals approximately R1.46 million.

“Apart from the job opportunities and business opportunities to local residents and subcontractors, the roll-out of Phase 2A of the MyCiTi service will provide commuters from the area with an affordable, decent, and scheduled public transport service to Wynberg and Claremont,” he concludes.