North West Business 2020-21 Edition

INTERVIEW
Mpho Khunou, Executive Mayor,
Rustenburg Local Municipality
An efficient transport
system will help
Rustenburg achieve
its vision
Rustenburg’s Executive Mayor Mpho Khunou explains
how the Rustenburg Rapid Transport system will ease
congestion, improve commuters’ experiences and
revitalise the city’s central business district.
How does the Rustenburg Rapid Transport scheme fit into
the city’s broader planning?
We are very pleased to have been chosen to participate in this national
programme of 13 municipalities countrywide. It is a programme
initiated by the National Department of Transport to tackle transport
challenges in major cities. The plan fits in well with our long-term vision
of becoming a world-class city. In order achieve this, the City must have
an efficient transport system which is universally accessible, reliable
and provides a linkage with other modes of transport. With this new
transport network, we aim to facilitate a more efficient economy.
Biography
Executive Mayor Mpho Khunou
grew up in Rustenburg where
his father was a mineworker
and attended school in
Mahikeng. Active in ANC
Youth League politics from the
early 1990s, Mayor Khunou
served as a Rustenburg city
councillor between 1995 and
2000, during which time he
was Chief Whip. After a period
as an entrepreneur, he worked
in various capacities within
the municipality’s executive
management. Elected to his
current position in 2011, he was
re-elected in 2016.
How will the dedicated bus lanes help to improve the
commuter experience?
Feeder routes and walkways will link commuters with major trunk roads
which have dedicated bus lanes to ensure a faster service and promote
easier access to various parts of the City, which is currently a major
challenge to residents. Furthermore, the trunk routes have stations which
have incorporated green building principles such as natural light. Phase
1 to 4 of the integrated public transport network is envisaged to place up
to 60% of the City’s residents within 500 metres of a service.
Will conditions for pedestrians and cyclists improve?
The City constructed infrastructure for non-motorised transport
(NMT) which is already being used in some parts of the city. On the
R510 and R104 roads there is dedicated infrastructure for cyclists and
pedestrians which a lot of people are using to cycle into the city, as
well as on the feeder routes. We will focus on signage and safety once
the system comes into operation and this will ensure that transport
service will be attractive to private motor users.
What are the key achievements you want the RRT to reach?
The RRT is designed to reduce congestion by having fewer taxis on
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