The eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA) together with South African Road Federation (SARF) will be conducting the ETA/SARF Road Safety Poetry, Prepared Speech, Poster, and Drama competitions again this year (2025). This competition targets all primary schools within eThekwini municipality including schools with special educational needs (LSEN).

Click here to download the form

All completed entry forms and a one page essay can be forwarded to
Siphindile.Ngidi@durban.gov.za or Nonhlanhla.Ntusi@durban.gov.za. The forms and the
essay can also be dropped at eThekwini Transport Authority offices at 30 Archie Gumede
Place (Old Fort Place) on or before 9 May 2025. For all further queries you can contact
Siphindile Ngidi 031- 311 7040/ 083 627 6217 or Nonhlanhla Ntusi 031- 322 7606/082 596

Within the next year, eThekwini Municipality will introduce three electric buses (e-buses) as part of a pilot phase, with an additional 16 to be added over the next three years. The City’s transition from diesel to battery-electric buses has been hailed as a significant step toward sustainable transportation, aligning with global efforts to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

This initiative was announced at a three-day E-Bus Workshop held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre from 11 to 13 February. Hosted by eThekwini Municipality in partnership with C40 Cities, the workshop brought together representatives from 18 African countries to share best practices and key lessons on deploying electric buses across the continent.

The City’s transition to e-buses aligns with the Department of Transport’s Green Transport Strategy for South Africa 2018–2050, which sets a target for at least 10% of municipal bus fleets to operate on clean energy within the next 10 to 20 years.

EThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba emphasized that the workshop demonstrates the City’s proactive approach to promoting eco-friendly and low-emission transportation systems. “However, as we implement this transition, we must ensure that it is just, inclusive, and leaves no one behind. It must protect people’s livelihoods and contribute towards the creation of sustainable jobs,” said Mayor Xaba.

Lusanda Madikizela, Head of Zero Emission Freight at C40, expressed excitement over the workshop’s success in sparking robust discussions and feasibility studies on eThekwini’s readiness for electric bus deployment.

C40 is a global network of mayors from the world’s leading cities, united in taking action against the climate crisis.

Babalwa Nyoka, Senior Manager of Public Transport Services at the eThekwini Transport Authority, said the workshop extensively explored various business models for public transport electrification, public-private funding opportunities, and available electric bus technologies, including charging infrastructure.

The City will introduce e-buses to its existing services as part of a pilot phase to assess their long-term sustainability in eThekwini.

“The feasibility study will evaluate various factors involved in transitioning to electric buses over a specific period before the full fleet is deployed. Three electric buses will be used to test market routes, passenger uptake, battery types and lifespans, charging infrastructure availability and positioning, as well as operating costs and sustainability,” said Nyoka.

EThekwini Municipality advises Durban Transport, Mynah, and People Mover bus commuters to check the expiry date on the front of their MUVO card.

Cards with the expiry date 11/24 and 12/24 will stop functioning after expiry. These cards are replaceable at a Muvo Paypoint or Smartvan at no cost until the end of January 2025. Thereafter, the normal card replacement fee of R20 applies.

EThekwini Transport Authority Acting Head Nelisiwe Zama said the cards need to be replaced every five years. “The cards are bank issued cards certified by Mastercard. In terms of the banking regulations, the cards have a limited life span of five years as the technology is continually updated to ensure that the security of the cards is not compromised.”

The expiring card and an original ID document are required for the swop out. Unused trips will be transferred to the new card.

This prestigious international event brought together the best cyclists from over 20 countries, featuring 60 international riders and four local cyclists.

The atmosphere was electric, with competitive riders delivering thrilling performances and showcasing their best skills on the Velosolutions Pump Track.

The championships featured challenging pump track courses for both men and women, with Top 16, Top 8, and final stages.

In the Men’s category, Ryan Gilchrist from Australia claimed the World Championship title, with fellow Australian AJ Donald securing second place and Alec Bob from the United States finishing in third.

In the Women’s final, Sabina Košárková from the Czech Republic won the World Champion title, followed by Nadine Aeberhard from Switzerland in second place and Vineta Petersone from Latvia in third.

Košárková shared her experience, saying, “My strategy was to stay consistent. I was putting in really solid rounds to break under 19 seconds. I trained much more than in the past two years—I knew my weakness was the mental side, so I focused on staying calm during the races. Hearing the Czech anthem on the podium and receiving my rainbow stripes was very special. I still can’t believe I’m World Champion!”

For local cyclists, one of the most encouraging aspects of the UCI Pump Track World Championships was the community-based cycling races hosted a week prior to the main event. Through these Township Series races, Mhlengi Gogo, Thuthukani Sphelele Qwabe, Lefati Mzimela, and Lithemba Buthelezi from the KwaDabeka GO!Durban Academy secured their spots and qualified to compete in the Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World Championships Finals.

Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World Championships winners from left: AJ Donald (AUS), Nadine Aeberhard (SUI), Sabina Košárková (CZE), Ryan Gilchrist (AUS), Vineta Petersone (LAT), Alec Bob (USA).

Nineteen-year-old Mzimela, who joined the GO!Durban Academy in 2016, reflected on his journey: “I was 11 when I registered with the Academy. I didn’t know much about cycling, but the coaches taught me the basics, and I gradually improved my skills over the years. I’ve cycled on mountain tracks and pump tracks. The Academy has given me the opportunity to participate in various races, and competing in the UCI Championships Finals has been one of my biggest opportunities. I am grateful to the Academy and my coaches.”

Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World Champion Ryan Gilchrist celebrated by the KwaMashu community.

The City is gearing up to host the prestigious 2024 Velosolutions Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Pump Track World Championships Finals on 9 November at the GO!Durban Academy KwaMashu site.

The first ever to be hosted in a township, the KwaMashu GO!Durban Academy park was chosen above Cape Town. The event marks the tail end of the 2024 season and is set to bring the world’s top riders from approximately 20 countries to compete for the World Championship Title.

Tickets will be sold at the gate at R50 per person.

EThekwini Transport Authority’s Acting Head, Nelisiwe Zama said the GO!Durban Academy being chosen to host an event of this magnitude is demonstration of the high standard infrastructure that the Academy has to offer, as it features a world-class Velosolutions asphalt pump track right in the heart of KwaMashu.

“An event of this nature does not only place us on the world map in relation to the cycling sport but has great impact on local tourism, with 60 international riders accompanied by their teams and fans will be staying in Durban. This influx of international visitors will help put Durban on the global tourism map as a must visit destination in South Africa”, concluded Zama.

The event is also set to benefit youth from townships as various community-based cycling races will be hosted the week leading up to the finale. The top four of the community bike series (men and women elite category) will officially qualify for the UCI Pump Track World Championships on 9 November.

The two winners will receive free hotel accommodation like all other international winners. The second, third, and fourth placed riders will be invited to join the after party, rider’s briefing, welcome presentation, and we will be transported daily from their township to the locations. CAPTION: The Velosolutions Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Pump Track World Championships Finals on 9 November will be held at the GO!Durban Academy KwaMashu site.

The City continues to actively promote the safe transportation of school learners by scholar transport drivers through the Safe to School, Safe to Home Scholar Transport Programme.

Wrapping up Transport Month activities the eThekwini Transport Authority’s Road Safety Branch hosted the Safe to School, Safe to Home Scholar Transport Awards ceremony at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on 30 October 2024.

Scholar transport operator Jerusha Gopal won a new Toyota Quantum vehicle through an electronic lucky draw.

Gopal was among four finalists who recorded no transgressions while transporting scholars over the monitoring period during operating hours.

The programme initially trained 128 drivers. However, only 74 were selected for the five-day road safety workshop.

The remaining 54 drivers were disqualified due to non-compliant vehicles.Gopal said winning the Quantum will allow her to transport more learners to and from school in and around the north of Durban.

“Thank you eThekwini Municipality for allowing the scholar transport sector to participate in this scholar safety project. This is a dream come true. I pledge to continue providing safe and reliable transportation service to my learners, in a new and extra comfortable vehicle,” said Gopal.

The eThekwini Transport Authority partnered with Global Road Safety Partnership, Toyota South Africa Limited, Netstar, Afrofleet and other key stakeholders for the project.

Deputy Chairperson of the Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee Councillor Sifiso Mkhize explained that the aim of the Safe to School, Safe to Home Scholar Programme is to contribute to the reduction in death and injury of school children in road crashes en route to and from school. It is to also educate drivers on the Children’s Act 38 of 2005, compliance, policies and regulations.

The drivers were scored according to the number of transgressions the tracking devices detected during their drives to school and then during the trip home.The transgressions included speeding, harsh acceleration, and harsh braking.

Suben Moodley Senior Vice President of Corporate Services: Toyota South Africa Motors (Pty) Ltd praised eThekwini Municipality for being the only municipality in the country to rollout this project in addressing the safety of scholars using private transport. Moodley cited statistics from the Road Traffic Management Corporation report on the State of Road Safety.

The 2023 stats revealed that 10 180 vehicle accidents were recorded last year, with a target to reduce this to about 7 000 by 2030. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) accounted for 1 985 or 19.5% of the accidents.

These accidents resulted in 11 883 fatalities in the country, or 19 per 100 000 people. KZN accounted for 2 229 of the fatalities or 19% of the total. It is reported that road accidents cost the South African economy about R205 billion in 2023, which is about 2.74% of the country’s GDP.This is almost half of the automotive contribution to SA’s GDP.

The National Council of Provinces (NCOP): Select Committee on Public Infrastructure undertook an Oversight visit to the City on Friday, 25 October 2024, with a focus on the GO!Durban Corridor 1 (C1) which runs from the North to the Durban CBD.The Committee was taken on various sites along the C1 Corridor to ensure that there is good progress on the infrastructure. The C1 route is the City’s demonstration of the expansion of the network.

EThekwini Transport Authority’s Deputy Head: Road System Management, Bethuel Manthoadi presented a progress report on the infrastructure of the GO!Durban project. He reported to the Committee that on C1: 6.42 kilometres (km) has been completed out of 27km; on C3: 26 km completed out of 27 km with 24 Feeder transfer stops completed and C9: 4.2 km completed out of 14.5 km.

Manthoadi said, the provision of public infrastructure and reliable, efficient, and affordable public transport is a key requirement for both economic growth and sustaining the livelihoods of households and communities. “The more routes being completed on the network, the closer we get to completing the full infrastructure for the first phase. This project does not only impact transport but has an overall spin off for the city as it contributes to the general transformation of the city.”

The expansion of the GO!Durban network through the implementation of the C1 route (phase one implementation) allows for 65% of eThekwini citizens to gain access to improved, safer and more reliable public transport.

Fitting to the theme of Transport Month ‘Together moving South Africa forward’ the eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA) and the Health Unit teamed up with the bus company Tansnat to roll-out its Health Outreach Programmes. These programmes are aimed at supporting drivers in the bus industry and to ensure their health and wellness.

ETA Acting Head, Nelisiwe Zama said that ETA has collaborated with the Health Unit and Tansnat for educational, training and awareness programmes targeted at drivers within the bus industry. The Bus Drivers Programme kicked off with Defensive Driver training at the Midway Mall on 8 October. The purpose of the training was to reduce further bus crashes and to empower the drivers to be proactive in managing scheduled trips. Zama said that ETA had targeted five depots for the Health and Wellness Outreach Programmes, primarily in the north and south sub districts.

Drivers had the opportunity to undergo comprehensive health screening and testing services, amongst other services offered by the City’s Health Unit. The programme also consisted of educational talks on mental and physical wellness, HIV AIDS awareness and the importance of family planning. Provincial Health and Healthy Systems Trust, a non-profit organisation also supported the programme.

Gugu Bhengu Gwala Deputy Head: Social Health EThekwini Municipality explained: “October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Mental Health Month, National Nutrition Week, etc., which are our priorities for the month. However, October is also Transport Month, and this marks a remarkable period for the Transport and Health sectors to enhance driver health and road safety by offering accessible health screenings at convenient locations,” said Gwala.

ETA commenced with the Health and Wellness Outreach Programme at the City Fleet Depot in Alice street, Durban central. The Outreach programmes ran on the week of 22 – 25 October in various depots.

The eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA) conducted a Road Safety Walk to raise awareness on road safety in communities. The walk started at King Dinuzulu Road, proceeding into the city centre, before heading back to the starting point at the park.Road safety is a critical concern in eThekwini and the ETA believes that by coming together, a meaningful impact can be made towards promoting safer streets for everyone.

Mlungisi Wosiyana, Deputy Head of Public Transport, said the road safety walk provided an excellent opportunity for the City to raise awareness of Transport Month by spreading the message of responsible road behavior and the importance of obeying traffic rules. “This was also an opportunity to engage with community members, local businesses, and organisations committed to road safety. Collectively we can advocate for improved road infrastructure, pedestrian safety, and responsible driving and walking habits,” said Wosiyana.

ETA has kicked off the first week of Transport Month with live community radio broadcasts on road safety, followed by the two-day New Energy Vehicle Indaba and the road safety walk. A series of activities are planned for Transport Month which includes ETA visiting primary schools in eThekwini to implement road safety education programmes as well as enforcement campaigns for heavy goods vehicles.

ETHEKWINI Municipality kicked off Transport Month by affirming that the City is well on its way when it comes to its e-mobility journey. The City is achieving this by implementing practical steps in transport transition.

The City, through the eThekwini Transport Authority Unit, is in the process of procuring electric and hybrid vehicles for its Municipal fleet. The Unit has also planned a series of Transport Month activities to raise awareness of road safety, the City’s public transport cashless system (MUVO) and to highlight some of the services that the Unit offers the public.

EThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba made these announcements during the second New Energy Vehicles (NEV) Indaba which took place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on 2 and 3 October. The NEV Indaba was held in partnership with eThekwini Municipality and Mobility Solutions Africa. The inaugural Indaba was also held in Durban. This year’s event saw industry leaders, policy makers, and manufacturers meet to share ideas on economic and job creation opportunities that can be derived in the manufacturing of NEV’s.

Mayor Xaba said: “EThekwini Municipality continues to implement strategies aimed at reducing emissions and air pollution. Hosting the Indaba in Durban sends a clear message that we are now positioning the City as a major player in the NEV manufacturing space.

More importantly, we want to be a leader in the electric vehicle manufacturing sector in the country as we believe this will be one of the key contributors towards achieving the goal of building a climate resilient City.” To demonstrate the City’s readiness, two years ago eThekwini Municipality became the first metro in the country to be allowed by National Treasury and the Department of Minerals and Energy to procure new generation capacity from Independent Power Producers.

Photo caption: EThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba test drove one of the electric vehicles on display at the New Vehicle Energy Indaba. Mayor Xaba said the City will continue to seize opportunities that are available in the renewable energy sector.