"Unfortunately, the service is oversubscribed, meaning the budget resources is not nearly enough to meet the current demand for the service." The service caters for about 2 240 users a month, of which, 310 use it on a daily basis for work, and 1 930 on an ad hoc basis during offpeak periods, by booking trips seven days in advance, subject to availability. "Over the past few months we have investigated the travel patterns, routes, and disabilities of those who are using the service on a regular basis; their proximity to a MyCiTi bus route; the number of cancellations logged per week; and how often they need the service to travel to work and back. "We have identified two regular users who will no longer have access on a daily basis from March 18. "A detailed analysis of the users brought to light that the two commuters are visually impaired, but live within 500m from a MyCiTi bus stop. "They will be able to use the MyCiTi bus service to travel from Atlantis to their workplace in Salt River where there is a MyCiTi bus stop right in front of their destination. The City offered to assist the two to become familiar with the MyCiTi service, both users declined the offer," Quintas said. Abram Lintnaar, 50, who has been blind since birth, travels daily from Atlantis to Cape Town to work at the Cape Town Society for the Blind. He said if the services comes to an end he could face unemployment. "I have been using their services for over 30 years. Financially, this will impact me and if they discontinue the service I will become unemployed. How will I be able to afford to travel every day by having to take three buses and what about my safety?" he asked. A blind couple from Strandfontein, Sharon and Adrian Davids, who have a threeyearold daughter, have written several letters to the City, mayor and premier's office, claiming they were discriminated against as their child was not allowed to make use of the service. "My concern deepens as it appears that these regulations may impede the ability of disabled women to balance the responsibilities of motherhood with the necessity of utilising DialaRide," said Davids in one of the letters. "The notion of being advised to use a separate service, such as Uber, for a threeyearold child is distressing and raises questions about the fairness and inclusivity of the current regulations." Quintas said they were in communication with the Davids last week to explain the regulations. "The service is meant for those who cannot use conventional transport services because of special needs," he said. Sandra Dreyer of the Cape Town Society of the Blind, who is chairperson of the SA National Council for the Blind, said they were informed that two of their staff would be impacted. "Since then we have been enquiring for more concrete information from the City and HG travel, to which they responded that they are unaware of such a decision made and it is being investigated." The SA Human Rights Commission said it would be investigating. "There is a need to ascertain the veracity of the alleged cancellation, and how blind people are going to be catered for."

Source: Weekend Argus