CASE STUDY #054
INTERNAL PROJECT SHOWCASE
Establishment of Transport for Cape Town
Cape Town’s transport authority is set to provide efficient, affordable and safer public transport
IDP LINKAGES
Caring city
Inclusive city
Opportunity city
Safe city
Well-run city
The Integrated
Development Plan is a
plan for how the City will
SUMMARY
prioritise its budget
TCT is the City of Cape Town’s transport authority (TA). A TA regulates and manages the transport systems
and networks within the city, particularly rail and bus scheduled services. These services are tightly
integrated, operate under one brand, are centrally managed, and have a single ticketing system. TCT has
been established to transform Cape Town’s current fragmented transport system into an integrated, multimodal system that provides efficient, affordable and safer public transport as well as ensuring that the
related infrastructure network is well maintained and demand responsive.
Transport systems and the related infrastructure network have a long-term horizon, and involve careful
planning and considerable investment. To ensure that TCT is an enduring authority and that its
responsibilities and functions are sustained, the Constitution of Transport for Cape Town Bylaw no 7208 of
2013 has been developed and gazetted – a first of its kind in South Africa. The TCT Bylaw sets out TCT’s
functional, operational, governance and strategic parameters. Functions such as administration, planning,
communication, contracting, regulating, monitoring, evaluating, managing and operating transport
infrastructure and services, and the roles and responsibilities assigned to various department within TCT,
are now enshrined in the Constitution of Transport for Cape Town By-law, no 7208 of 2013, thereby
enabling a long term investment environment.
spending over a five-year
cycle. The IDP is agreed
between local government
and residents, and is
adjusted to accommodate
changing needs.
ENABLERS
Transport for Cape Town
BACKGROUND
The establishment of TCT followed an evolutionary and institutional TA design model that shifted the
This case study describes one of the City of Cape Town’s innovative projects that demonstrates how the
City applies design-led thinking to support City strategies and goals and help to improve the lives of
residents. For more, scan the QR code alongside or see www.capetown.gov.za/WDC2014/
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governance of transport services to an innovative driven approach commuter by regulating operators
through a common authority that ensures long-term, enduring orientated management. The envisioned
outcome of this centralised authority is the achievement of its Vision of One’, which includes an integrated
public transport network with one ticket, one timetable, a unified management structure and an
enforcement system, as well as a single standard and brand, dignified public transport system that is
integrated, seamless, intelligent, affordable, sustainable and safe for all. Furthermore, the development of
the TCT Constitution Bylaw 2013 gave rise to the creation of nine functions, which have been translated
into a management structure with eight departments, each of which have two key objectives, namely to be
performance orientated and focused on integrated service delivery:
• The Performance and Co-ordination Department is the overarching department focusing on co-ordinating and monitoring TCT’s achievement of its mandate, with the focus being on ensuring that the end
user and community needs are addressed within the overall context and direction of the City.
• The Planning Department focuses on the key core components in the integrated transport management
process, namely the medium to long term plan and related policies, sector plans and strategies. Planning also includes business development and long term strategic planning, with the focus being on the
Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (CITP) and the Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN)
• The Contract Operations Department focuses on the new function being assigned to the City as well as
combining the existing functions related to the operational management of the integrated rapid transit
(IRT) contracts, all under the banner of the MyCiti to create a composite whole of scheduled roadbased public transport services. A process that will take a few years to be rolled out
• The Financial Management Department is responsible for all financial management, which includes
budgeting, revenue management and investment as well as the management of the Municipal Land
Transport Fund and an automated fare collection (AFC) system (myconnect card).TCT has been awarded the prize for the myconnect card for the world’s most innovative bank card ticket.
• The Infrastructure Department is responsible for all construction and capital investment related to public
transport, NMT, roads and related stormwater, and public transport facilities. It also focuses on the registration; management and monitoring of public transport assets as well as the road network. This will
enable the consolidation of TCT’s assets which will then facilitate investment planning.
• The Asset Management and Maintenance Department is responsible for the overall management and
maintenance of all TCT’s assets. This Department will maintain the formal infrastructure (10000km of
roads) under the banner of four areas as well as provide interventions for informal settlements as they
relate to stormwater and access tracks. Fleet management is also a critical component.
• The Network Management Department is a new department that is considered essential to deal with
the added functions in terms of the systems management. It also deals with the traffic related systems
as well as traffic management and public transport law enforcement and the TCT information management system and databank.
• The Regulations Department is necessary as the City is to be assigned the Municipal Regulatory Entity
function, as determined by legislation. It is essential that all regulation functions are consolidated in
one department so that there can be synergy and efficient management of public transport. This
includes industry management and transition as well as the issuing and management of operating
licences.
It is envisaged that the establishment of this innovative Transport Authority model in the City of Cape Town
will contribute significantly to achieving an inclusive city of opportunity and will become a model for the
achievement of integrated, intermodal and interoperable transport in an urban area for South Africa and
further afield – a 21st Century Solution to an age-old problem.
DESIGN THINKING
Design-led thinking is a
collaborative and usercentric process through
which challenges are
identified and creatively
addressed to deliver
innovative and relevant
solutions. With the
responsibilities placed on a
city administration, the
core driver for embracing
design-led thinking is the
improvement of the
quality of life of citizens,
the ethos that underpins
the World Design Capital
programme.
DESIGN TOOLS
For an explanation of the
key constructs which
support design-led
thinking in project
conception, design and
implementation,see
the Toolbox.
INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN LINKAGES
CARING CITY: Provide citizens with an affordable and cost-effective public transport system.
INCLUSIVE CITY: An inclusive city is where everyone has a stake in the future and enjoys a sense of
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belonging. Building an inclusive city includes developing effective public transportation programmes
and the efficient management of the related Infrastructure.
OPPORTUNITY CITY: Provide citizens with access to an improved, integrated, multi-modal public
transport system that puts commuters first.
SAFE CITY: Provide citizens with a safe public transport system and safe, accessible networking that
accommodates all.
WELL-RUN CITY: The City established TCT in order to achieve its vision for transport and to deliver
integrated, intermodal and interoperable transport and achieve efficiencies and sustainability on its
related network for Cape Town.
DESIGN THINKING
Design-led thinking is a
collaborative and usercentric process through
which challenges are
HOW HAS DESIGN BEEN USED?
Of the key tools which support design-led thinking in project conception, creation and implementation, the
following are fundamental to the success of this project:
+ INNOVATION CO: The Launch of TCT took place on 18th October 2012, where the presence of all
three spheres of government, and amongst others the Minister of Transport and Group CEO of PRASA
(the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa), sent out a strong message of commitment to work with
TCT and the City, to improve the efficacy of public transport by transforming Cape Town’s current fragmented transport system into an integrated, multi-modal system that puts commuters first, result in
more efficient, affordable and safer public transport, despite potential differences in affiliation, mandates and brand.
+ DREAM TEAM: In our investigations of what would work best for Cape Town, various scenarios of
transport authorities around the world were looked at. This extensive study has led us to adopt a business model that shifts the governance of transport services to a commuter-based approach by amongst
others regulating operators through a common authority. The collaboration with various internal and
external stakeholders allowed for a TA design model solution that is implementable. To this end, subject matter experts were used to draft the TCT Bylaw which formed the basis of the Constitution of
Transport for Cape Town and sets out the powers and functions of the Commissioner and TCT as well
as entrenches the objectives and vision for integrated, interoperable and intermodal transport in local
government legislation.
+ CONSULTATION/COMMUNICATION: TCT cannot bring about change on its own, and collaboration
with our partners at the national Department of Transport, National Treasury and Provincial Government, provided valuable design assistance and guidance. Furthermore, in establishing the TA, stakeholders in the transport industry, minibus taxi operators, commuter rail, scheduled bus services; commuters, business and labour are recognised within the newly established stakeholder forums, namely
Intermodal Planning Committee and its working groups and the Land Transport Advisory Board. A consultative process has also been applied throughout the evolution of TCT in terms of institutional
design, functionality, and structure to ensure that the establishment of the TA would be sustainable,
and a long-lasting transport solution to withstand political change and long-term investment.
+ EVOLUTIONARY APPROACH: The establishment of TCT followed an evolutionary and institutional TA
innovative design model that ensures long-term, enduring and investment-orientated service delivery
and infrastructure management so as to create a long-lasting solution. Furthermore, the development
of the TCT Constitution Bylaw 2013 gave rise to the creation of nine functions which have been translated into a management structure with eight departments, each of which have two key objectives,
namely to be performance-orientated service delivery and investment. The structure is built in an interdependency that is evolutionary for local government.
+ QUICK DELIVERY: The success of the TA will bring about change across Cape Town. It will realize an
inclusive, well-run and opportunity city and is structured to give effect to this. The main aim of TCT is
to be commuter-based with access to a fully integrated and well-maintained road and rail network,
with a premium, reliable, cost-effective and streamlined public transport service. The formalisation of
CITY OF CAPE TOWN WORLD DESIGN CAPITAL 2014 INTERNAL PROJECTS SHOWCASE
identified and creatively
addressed to deliver
innovative and relevant
solutions. With the
responsibilities placed on a
city administration, the
core driver for embracing
design-led thinking is the
improvement of the
quality of life of citizens,
the ethos that underpins
the World Design Capital
programme.
DESIGN TOOLS
For an explanation of the
key constructs which
support design-led
thinking in project
conception, design and
implementation,see
the Toolbox.
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#054: ESTABLISHMENT OF TRANSPORT FOR CAPE TOWN
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+
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TCT has only been a year in the making and already there have been service delivery shifts. Further, the
TCT Long Term Strategy along with the Action Plan has been developed and come into operation from
1 July 2014.
OPEN ACCESS TO INFORMATION: TCT has collaborated with a number of departments, both at an
international, national, provincial and local level, providing valuable design assistance, guidance and
information sharing. In determining the governance and functional structures of TCT it was realised
that within the transport realm the information baseline is either highly subjective or not readily available. TCT is therefore in the process of determining a reliable baseline which will be known as its
Transport Development Index.
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM: The Establishment of TCT was spearheaded by Melissa Whitehead, the now Commissioner: TCT responsible and accountable for the delivery of the nine functions
identified in its Bylaw, in particular the Commissioner will be responsible for setting and managing the
implementation of TCT’s strategy for delivering integrated transport for the benefit of all citizens of
and visitors to Cape Town.
INNOVATION CHAMPS: International best practise has determined that the sustainability and functionality of any transport authority is dependant in a strong political/technical partnership at the strategic leadership level. In the case of Cape Town the establishment and running of TCT is through a very
successful partnership between the TCT: Mayoral Committee Member, Brett Herron and the Commissioner: TCT Melissa Whitehead. This partnership has given effect to TCT and will take it forward in the
years to come.
BIG THINKING, LOCALISED IMPACT: The key brief for the establishment of TCT was to create an
organisation within the City through a bylaw to ensure a long-term, enduring and investment-oriented
service delivery approach. The bylaw (local government’s legislative tool) creates a long-lasting transport innovative solution that withstands policy change and facilitates long-term investment. The TCT
Bylaw sets out the parameters as to what TCT does and how it operates and functions such as administration, planning, communication, contracting, regulating, monitoring, evaluating, managing and
operating transport infrastructure and services with roles and responsibilities assigned to various
departments in Transport for Cape Town.
COMMUNITY AT THE CENTRE, CREATIVITY ON THE FRINGE: It is envisaged that TCT will contribute significantly to achieving an inclusive city of opportunity and will become a model for the
achievement of integrated, intermodal and interoperable transport in an urban area in South Africa
and beyond. The TCT Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (CITP), which was approved in December 2013, will take TCT into a new service delivery dimension through the introduction of its overarching mission which is to drive down the cost of the user access priority. The TCT Long Term Strategy further aims to half the cost of the user access priority within 15 years through focusing on TCT new
investment-oriented perspective.
DESIGN THINKING
Design-led thinking is a
collaborative and usercentric process through
which challenges are
identified and creatively
addressed to deliver
innovative and relevant
solutions. With the
responsibilities placed on a
city administration, the
core driver for embracing
design-led thinking is the
improvement of the
quality of life of citizens,
the ethos that underpins
the World Design Capital
programme.
DESIGN TOOLS
For an explanation of the
key constructs which
support design-led
thinking in project
conception, design and
implementation,see
the Toolbox.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Contact the Commissioner, Melissa Whitehead: melissa.whitehead@capetown.gov.za
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