In a bold move for the transport sector, GO!Durban, the city’s integrated rapid public transport network (IRPTN), one of the largest infrastructure projects in South Africa, unveiled its unique Empowerment Charter after a day’s workshop with various stakeholders. The Empowerment Charter is not a preferencing policy, nor an embellishment of the BEE regulations, but is a series of additional specifications added by the GO!Durban project to all contracts awarded on the project. These additional clauses are targeted at addressing unemployment, poverty and inequality in the Metro.

The Mayor called on citizens in the spirit and context of empowerment, to “dare to care” not only about their individual needs, but the needs of those around them. “I ask you to lend a thought to the millions, that my station mandates that I serve, who are caught in between your needs and desires.  I ask you to care for them, and see beyond your needs and requirements to their needs and requirements and invite them to participate in the economy that you have created around yourself, your business or organisation.”

“In my mind ‘empowerment’ is the manner in which we give our citizens the tools to better themselves in a moral and accountable way,” said the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Nomvuzo Shabalala, who opened the proceedings. “The GO!Durban Empowerment Charter has been crafted to specifically address both the complexity of a new Public Transport System and to ensure that fair opportunity is given through several different platforms.”

Click here for the full press release: https://godurban.co.za/category/media/