Hammanskraal commuters remain without full bus services months after disruptions began, with uncertainty deepening following a 9 May 2026 meeting with the MEC for Roads and Transport, Ms Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, and ongoing questions regarding the contractual status of North West Transport Investment (NTI).
The transport challenges, which residents say have persisted for approximately five months, have left many commuters dependent on taxis. Community members report that higher transport costs have placed significant pressure on household incomes. Rail services in the area are also not currently operational.
During the May engagement, the MEC indicated that discussions with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) are ongoing, although no date has been confirmed for the restoration of train services.
The 9 May meeting was convened to address ongoing transport concerns in Hammanskraal. According to attendees, the MEC acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. However, the meeting was reportedly marked by disagreements between NTI staff and some community members.
Staff members are reportedly calling for NTI operations to resume, citing outstanding salary concerns, while several commuters have expressed a preference for appointing a new operator. No firm timeline for the return of full bus services was communicated at the conclusion of the meeting.
In recent weeks, information circulated within the community alleging that NTI had signed a seven-year contract with the Department of Transport. Moretele Times sought clarity from the Office of the MEC regarding NTI’s contractual status, subsidy payments, the reported threat of a shutdown, and the disputed May 2023 court document.
Responding through spokesperson Mr Lesiba Mpya, the Department confirmed that NTI does have a contract in place.
“The MEC today (25 June 2026) tabled her budget vote in the Legislature and allocated about R3.2 billion for Public Transport Operations to support seamless public transport services. The department is managing 16 subsidised contracts, comprising 15 negotiated contracts and one tendered contract, amongst these being NTI. Therefore, yes, I can confirm that there is a contract in place,” said Mr Mpya.
He further indicated that through intergovernmental relations (IGR), the two provinces, North West and Gauteng, are managing the entity to ensure continued services to the people of Hammanskraal.
While the budget allocation confirms funding provision for public transport operations, the Department did not provide specific details regarding the duration or scope of the NTI agreement, the status of outstanding subsidy payments, the timeline for full restoration of services, or its position on the disputed 26 May 2023 court order.
The matter has been further complicated by controversy surrounding documentation linked to transport entities. A document dated 26 May 2023, purporting to be a court order issued by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria under case number 2023-018146, indicated the removal of a business rescue practitioner from NTI, North West Star (Soc) Ltd and Attridgeville Bus Services (Soc) Ltd.
However, correspondence dated 1 June 2023 from the Office of the Chief Justice stated that the document was not authentic. The letter cited several irregularities, including a reference to a judge who was reportedly not sitting during that term, the use of an outdated template, and a matter not reflected on the court roll on the stated date.
The Office of the Chief Justice indicated that the document was not issued by the court and that the matter could be referred to law enforcement authorities for further investigation.
Meanwhile, a commuter update circulating this week stated that subsidy payments are expected and that operations could resume on 1 July 2026. It was also indicated that staff may await confirmation of salary payments before resuming full services.
Commuter representatives have further warned that if subsidy payments are not processed by 1 July 2026, a total shutdown may be implemented on 7 July 2026. The proposed action is said to affect operations linked to NTI routes.
As of 25 June 2026, no official start date has been publicly confirmed for the full restoration of bus services in Hammanskraal, and uncertainty remains over how and when normal operations will resume.
This story was first published in the print copy of Moretele Times.