The Maths forcing Cape Town's Dial-a-Ride shift
22 August 2025
STATEMENT BY THE CITY’S MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR URBAN MOBILITY, COUNCILLOR ROB QUINTAS
The City of Cape Town acknowledges the concerns raised about the upcoming changes to the Dial-a-Ride service. We agree that mobility is key to independence, dignity and participation in society. Unfortunately, the City can no longer continue the service without making changes to the operating model where it currently costs approximately R31 000 per month to transport one user, or R737 per trip per person.
The realignment of the Dial-a-Ride (DaR) Service is a very complex matter and we acknowledge the concerns raised about the changes that will take effect on 8 September 2025.
We fully appreciate that, given how long the service has been in place, many residents have come to depend on it, even though this was never its intended design.
The reality is that we cannot sustain an ever-expanding demand. The numbers speak for themselves:
The current average cost per trip is R737, with a cost recovery of only 3%
In practice, this means that the user contributes around R22 per trip, while the City contributes approximately R515 and the Western Cape Government R200
To put this in perspective, transporting a single user who travels 21 days a month amounts to roughly R31 000 per month, or R371 000 per year
The financial and operating model is unsustainable. The DaR service currently operates at a budget deficit of nearly R1 million a month. This cannot continue.
We have explored multiple options over many months in trying to secure funding from other sources, but the hard reality is that without assistance from the National Government, the City has no alternative but to align the DaR service with the available funding.
Dial-a-Ride was never designed as a permanent transport solution. It was introduced in 2002 to serve a very specific need: transporting wheelchair users and people with severe mobility impairments to and from work until mainstream public transport became universally accessible.
Over time, demand grew beyond this scope to include other users, and for trips that are not related to work. This has added significant pressure on the limited funding and operational resources for the service.
While the City has operated Dial-a-Ride since 2002, it is important to note that municipalities are not mandated to provide this specialised service. To keep it running, we have funded it directly through the municipal rates account, diverting money that could otherwise be invested in broader accessibility upgrades.
The difficult decision to realign DaR is precisely because we want to avoid collapse and instead invest in a system that can reach all people with disabilities, not only the small number currently served.
Even at our most stretched service capacity, only a fraction of Cape Town’s disabled residents have had access to it. In fact, most persons with disabilities in our city have never enjoyed use of the service — not for work-home commutes, nor for recreation or daily errands.
From 8 September 2025, approximately 260 active users will be affected by the realignment, as the service returns to its original purpose of transporting eligible users primarily to and from work.
This does not mean the City undervalues trips for education, healthcare or social participation. It means that, within limited budgets, we must prioritise livelihoods while building the broader system of universal access.
That broader system is where the real investment lies.
Universal Access Policy for Accessible Transport
In May this year, Council adopted the Universal Access Policy for Accessible Transport, an internationally recognised framework that commits Cape Town to a mainstream system where all people, regardless of ability, can travel independently, safely and with dignity.
These investments are already visible. The MyCiTi bus service is designed for universal access, both the vehicles and infrastructure, and we are advancing with the roll-out of Phase 2A, which will connect Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with the economic hubs of Claremont and Wynberg.
In conjunction to this, we are upgrading our network of sidewalks and pedestrian crossings to further promote inclusive mobility for everyone. The improvements are designed to be accessible to all users, from children, pram-pushers and cyclists, to the elderly and those using mobility aids. These investments will serve far more residents than Dial-a-Ride alone ever could.
The City of Cape Town invests more in transport for persons with disabilities than any other metro in South Africa, and is proud to do so. But the City cannot shoulder this responsibility indefinitely without broader support. Delivering true inclusion will require collective effort from all spheres of government, employers and civil society — and not necessarily through funding alone.
Our primary investment is in dismantling the structural barriers that limit mobility for persons with disabilities and all vulnerable residents. This commitment builds a foundation for a more inclusive Cape Town, one where the freedom to move independently is a reality for everyone.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
