IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/retrec/v39y2013i1p114-120.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The lurch towards formalisation: Lessons from the implementation of BRT in Johannesburg, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Venter, Christoffel

Abstract

The City of Johannesburg, South Africa, implemented the first phase of its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system named Rea Vaya between 2009 and 2011. The system design and organisational arrangements drew heavily on precedents from South America, especially insofar as BRT is used as an instrument for securing the transformation and formalisation of a fragmented and problematic informal public transport industry. Despite the inevitable transition problems, the formalisation scheme appears to be generally successful – an outcome that surprised many analysts as it follows a long history of mistrust, resistance, and unsuccessful interventions between government and the minibus taxi industry. The paper offers an analysis of the reasons for the successful transformation of participating taxi operators, by using a life-cycle analogy. We argue that the minibus-taxi industry in South Africa has reached a state of stasis and maturity, with limited opportunities for further growth in its present form. BRT, as it is implemented locally, offers opportunities for re-invention – for moving onto new a potential growth trajectory – by overcoming the binding constraints of informality and by opening up new markets to operators. The life-cycle analysis also offers some insights into critical success factors that, if not met in the long run, could jeopardise the longevity and scalability of the formalisation project. The paper concludes with insights regarding the planning and management of BRT systems to maximise their potential for leveraging the formalisation of informal operators, both in South Africa and in other developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Venter, Christoffel, 2013. "The lurch towards formalisation: Lessons from the implementation of BRT in Johannesburg, South Africa," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 114-120.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:retrec:v:39:y:2013:i:1:p:114-120
    DOI: 10.1016/j.retrec.2012.06.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0739885912000753
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.retrec.2012.06.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Walters, Jackie, 2008. "Overview of public transport policy developments in South Africa," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 98-108, January.
    2. Peter Perkins & Johann Fedderke & John Luiz, 2005. "An Analysis Of Economic Infrastructure Investment In South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 73(2), pages 211-228, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Venter, Christoffel, 2016. "Assessing the potential of bus rapid transit-led network restructuring for enhancing affordable access to employment – The case of Johannesburg's Corridors of Freedom," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 441-449.
    2. Poku-Boansi, Michael & Marsden, Greg, 2018. "Bus rapid transit systems as a governance reform project," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 193-202.
    3. Jan Schlüter & Manuel Frewer & Leif Sörensen & Justin Coetzee, 2020. "A stochastic prediction of minibus taxi driver behaviour in South Africa," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Venter, Christoffel J. & Molomo, Malesela & Mashiri, Mac, 2014. "Supply and pricing strategies of informal rural transport providers," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 239-248.
    5. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2020. "Looking for the obvious: motorcycle taxi services in Sub-Saharan African cities," Post-Print halshs-02182855, HAL.
    6. Kerzhner, Tamara, 2022. "Formalization of East Jerusalem public transport: Mobility, politics and planning," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    7. Schalekamp, Herrie, 2017. "Lessons from building paratransit operators’ capacity to be partners in Cape Town’s public transport reform process," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 58-66.
    8. Diaz Olvera, Lourdes & Plat, Didier & Pochet, Pascal, 2020. "Looking for the obvious: Motorcycle taxi services in Sub-Saharan African cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shinice Jackson & Derek Yu, 2023. "Re-examining the Multidimensional Poverty Index of South Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 1-25, February.
    2. Bhasela Yalezo & Bokana G K, 2018. "Determinants of Eastern Cape Gross Fixed Capital Formation and Its Impact on the South African Economic Performance," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 10(4), pages 32-44.
    3. Weckström, Christoffer & Mladenović, Miloš N. & Kujala, Rainer & Saramäki, Jari, 2021. "Navigability assessment of large-scale redesigns in nine public transport networks: Open timetable data approach," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 212-229.
    4. Potgieter, Petrus H., 2010. "Water and energy in South Africa – managing scarcity," MPRA Paper 23360, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Ofentse Mokwena, 2016. "Paratransit Mesoeconomy: Control Measures From The Supply Side?," Proceedings of Economics and Finance Conferences 3205591, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    6. Charles Shaaba Saba & Nicholas Ngepah, 2022. "ICT Diffusion, Industrialisation and Economic Growth Nexus: an International Cross-country Analysis," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2030-2069, September.
    7. Fedderke, J.W. & Bogetic, Z., 2009. "Infrastructure and Growth in South Africa: Direct and Indirect Productivity Impacts of 19 Infrastructure Measures," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 1522-1539, September.
    8. Afeikhena Jerome, 2011. "Infrastructure, Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in Africa," Journal of Infrastructure Development, India Development Foundation, vol. 3(2), pages 127-151, December.
    9. John S. Hill & Myung-Su Chae & Jinseo Park, 2012. "The Effects of Geography and Infrastructure on Economic Development and International Business Involvement," Journal of Infrastructure Development, India Development Foundation, vol. 4(2), pages 91-113, December.
    10. Schalekamp, Herrie & Behrens, Roger, 2010. "Engaging paratransit on public transport reform initiatives in South Africa: A critique of policy and an investigation of appropriate engagement approaches," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 371-378.
    11. Jeffrey Frankel & Ben Smit & Federico Sturzenegger, 2008. "South Africa: Macroeconomic challenges after a decade of success1," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 16(4), pages 639-677, October.
    12. BONGA-BONGA, Lumengo & GUMA, Nomvuyo, 2017. "The Relationship Between Savings And Economic Growth At The Disaggregated Level," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 70(1), pages 1-24.
    13. Fedderke, J.W. & Perkins, P. & Luiz, J.M., 2006. "Infrastructural investment in long-run economic growth: South Africa 1875-2001," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1037-1059, June.
    14. Johan Fourie, 2006. "Some policy proposals for future infrastructure investment in South Africa," Working Papers 05/2006, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    15. Ward, Michael R. & Zheng, Shilin, 2016. "Mobile telecommunications service and economic growth: Evidence from China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 89-101.
    16. Qi, Guanqiu & Shi, Wenming & Lin, Kun-Chin & Yuen, Kum Fai & Xiao, Yi, 2020. "Spatial spillover effects of logistics infrastructure on regional development: Evidence from China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 96-114.
    17. Mingzhu Qi & Peng Miao & Ya Wang & Yuge Song, 2022. "Research on the Coupling and Coordination of Systems of Citizenization, Regional Economy, and Public Service in China from the Perspective of Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, October.
    18. Ofentse William Marutle & Olebogeng David Daw, 2017. "The Significance of Mining Infrastructural Development on South African Economy from 1980-2013: An Econometric Approach," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 9(3), pages 73-81.
    19. Enn Lun Yong, 2019. "Unemployment and the European Union, 2000–2017: structural exploration of distant past economic experience and future prosperity," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-21, December.
    20. Jeffrey Frankel & Ben Smit & Federico Sturzenegger, 2006. "South Africa: Macroeconomic Challenges after a Decade of Success," CID Working Papers 133, Center for International Development at Harvard University.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:retrec:v:39:y:2013:i:1:p:114-120. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/620614/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.