Today’s introduction of the remaining Phase 1A routes on the Rea Vaya bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Johannesburg, South Africa was preceded by more violence last Friday. In two separate incidents, gunmen opened fire on BRT buses, leaving at least seven people wounded and, tragically, one dead.

Rea Vaya commuters, project staff and city officials remain supportive of the new public transport system despite violent opposition. Councillor Rehana Moosajee, Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committe for Transport, condemed the violence and reiterated the city’s committment to the BRT project, saying “no amount of violence and intimidation will stop us from providing safe, affordable and quality public transport to the residents of Joburg.”

With the introduction of two new Soweto feeder routes linking outlying neighborhoods with the terminal station on the BRT trunk route, inner city circulator routes and two new stations, Phase 1A is now 95% complete.

To read more about Rea Vaya’s controversial history, see our previous posts here and here.