By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
12 July 2025- The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng said they have established the Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) in accordance with the National Land Transport Act No. 5 of 2009. Morweng said the primary function of the PRE is to monitor and oversee public transport in the province.
He further said the entity will receive and adjudicate on applications relating to operating licenses for public transport. Morweng added that PRE members are expected to deal with operator renewals, transfers as well as amendments.
“We are incredibly fortunate that the members we are introducing today, come with diverse backgrounds, different skills and expertise which will be invaluable as the department works towards our strategic goals of bringing a paradigm shift in the competency of the Provincial Regulatory Entity.
“The term of office of the previous PRE Board Members expired on 30 June 2025. I, therefore, wish to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing members for having served the province since 2019. After their term came to an end, we published a Notice in the Government Gazette No. 52859 for the appointment of new members on 25 June 2025 for public comments,” he said.
Morweng said they undertook this in accordance with the legislation, which requires the call for nominations through Government Gazette prior to the appointment. He said this therefore means that the members they are introducing are faced with a mammoth task of turning around the Provincial Regulatory Entity.
“Given challenges experienced before, the incoming PRE is expected to reconfigure PRE in its entirety and create a fit for purpose machinery responsive to the needs of the provincial growth trajectory.
“This includes pursuing the vision of the department in Transforming Public Transport by focusing on the oversaturated taxi services market, challenges of the Operating Licenses architecture. This must be done by ensuring IT system reliability, route realignment, operator license service conditions, ensure there is no abuse of temporary permits, dal decisively with illegal operations that include minibus operations, 7+1, 4+1, door-to-door and mushrooming operations on non-designated taxi ranks,” said Morweng.
He said they will also deal decisively with backlog and clearing all outstanding applications undertaken last year. Morweng said they will ensure there is a quicker turnaround in order to guarantee efficiency in the Operator License Administration System.
“The rural nature of our province impedes or places a higher premium on citizens residing in far flung areas to access Operator License Services. This therefore calls for incoming PRE members to give impetus to the initiatives to create satellite offices to expedite service delivery.
“The fight against corruption and maladministration cannot be overemphasised. There had been a myriad of complaints from the industry and public alike on allegations of corruption by some in the value chain of operator licenses,” he said.
Morweng said these allegations cannot be taken lightly as they cast the image of the department and its leaders in a negative public perception. He said he then hereby calls upon PRE members to subscribe to an oath of office to uphold the constitution of the Republic of South Africa without any fear, favour or ill-will.
“I expect all PRE members to sign the pledge to adhere to corruption-free administration by acting with integrity, impartially, courteously, honestly, respectfully, transparently, professionally and in an accountable manner.
“Utilize all the available resources responsibly, efficiently and cost-effectively to maximize their use in rendering a high-quality service which is accessible to every person and continuously strive towards improving service delivery. Uphold and protect the fundamental rights of every person within the administration, the applicants, the operators and the commuters,” said Morweng.
He said they should abide by the PRE Procedural Manual and Business Flow Process in terms of the National Land Transport Act, 5 of 2009. Morweng said PRE members will also ensure they act in accordance with the North West Land Transport Regulations, 2021, made in terms of Section 10 of the National Land Transport Act No. 5 of 2009) published on the 12th February 2021 in the National Government Gazette no. 44247.
“Having gone through rigorous process that included gazetting of the nominated names as mentioned earlier, Mr L Modibane, Mr P Lekone, Ms M Matuba, Mr K Moiloa, Mr T Metswamere, Mr S Lekhu and Mr F Vilakazi, who will be the chairperson. All these PRE members inclusive of myself as the Executive Authority, as well as the Accounting Officer, will hereafter sign the pledge to ensure that we align ourselves with the pledges presented above.
“My expectation is that the current saturated routes are being dealt with speedily as they are a source of taxi conflict, breed illegal operations and generally destabilise the public transport sector. This includes ensuring that there is no contravention of the law in terms of people who are hiking for lifts,” said Morweng.
He said in terms of Section 50 of the National Land Transport Act, Act 5 of 2009, any person who operates public transport for a reward, meaning exchange of money for a transport, is expected to have a valid operating license before operating such a service. Morweng said one of the challenges they have experienced is in the e-hailing services.
“Most of these services are requesting for a service using an international online app which has not as yet been regulated in the province. There is a process underway to regulate the service to be in line with the National Land Transport Amendment Act 23 of 2023.
“This Act was passed by the President on the 11th of June 2024 and its regulations were gazetted on 29 November 2024. Public was given an opportunity to comment on it and closed 30 days after the gazetting of the regulations, and now the National Department is currently finalizing the regulations,” he said.
The Guardian 