The Public Utility Transport Corporation (Putco) bus company is set to reveal the outcomes of the 25 individuals convicted of ticket fraud in Mamelodi, Pretoria.
These suspects were found guilty of using counterfeit tickets to travel on the buses.
Earlier this year, the bus company reported that there was an increasing use of counterfeit tickets by bus passengers.
At the time, it was deduced that either commuters were being defrauded or the perpetrators themselves were using these false tickets to board the buses.
Putco estimated daily losses amounting to thousands of rand due to the high volume of fraudulent tickets identified by inspectors.
Spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu said the company was preparing to implement the SmartTap ticketing system, which was aimed at curbing the counterfeit.
Xulu said this was Putco’s way of complying with the government’s vision of challenging transport service providers to adopt digital electronic systems.
“The SmartTap electronic system will simplify commuters’ lives compared to the current paper-based system. With the new system, customers will have the benefit of extended trip validity in case they miss one of their scheduled trips,” he said.
Xulu said Tuesday’s event would also focus on educating passengers and curbing the spread of the counterfeiting of tickets.
“This operation will focus on detecting and preventing fraudulent and counterfeit tickets.”
The bus company is no stranger to controversy. Last year, the bus company halted operations due to fuel shortages and no payment by the provincial government.
The suspension of the buses left about 230 000 commuters stranded. Commuters came from different parts of the city such as Soweto, Tshwane, Kwa Ndebele and some parts of Limpopo.
In its defence, the company cited the shortage of diesel and the government’s failure to pay them subsidies as the main reason behind the suspension of services.
The Star
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