Several disability organisations staged a picket outside the Cape Town Civic Centre on Monday in protest against planned cuts to the Dial-a-Ride service. The city announced earlier this month that, from 8 September, the service will be restricted to wheelchair users and people with severe walking impairments.
MMC for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, explained that the decision stems from budget constraints.
“It all comes down to a major funding short. Right now, it costs around R750 per trip per person, with the user contributing R22 per trip, and the city carrying the bulk of the cost. The service runs at a deficit of nearly R1 million every month,” he said.
Quintas added that while the cuts are necessary within limited budgets, the city remains committed to supporting livelihoods and building a broader system of universal access.
However, Anthony Ghillino, acting treasurer of the Western Cape Network on Disability, criticised the city for a lack of consultation.
“The biggest frustration was that the city had not consulted with the centre, despite us having regular meetings with them. It does not make sense that a service meant for the most marginalised group is being cut back,” he said.
Listen to the full interview with Anthony below:
Sergil January of the Cape Town Society for the Blind warned that the changes will heavily impact blind and visually impaired residents.
“It came as a massive blow to us, and it left all our people devastated,” he said, highlighting safety and accessibility concerns.
Listen to the full interview with Sergil below:
The Western Cape Network on Disability said it will meet with city officials on Tuesday to discuss possible solutions and a way forward.
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