Lesufi intervention helps restore NTI operations after six-month suspension

Northwest Transport Investment (NTI) has resumed operations at around 40% capacity following a prolonged suspension that lasted more than six months.

The recovery follows interventions by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the North West Premier, whose collaborative efforts helped unlock support for the financially constrained transport entity.

During a briefing with North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Mme Tsotso Tlhapi, NTI Acting Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Ntlhopheng Dikobe said the company currently has about 160 buses operating across its network, which covers Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and parts of North West.

“We have resumed our operations at a 40% scale, and we will progressively increase our service levels on a weekly basis until we reach our 100% service delivery scale,” Dikobe said.

He said the entity's priorities included addressing compliance challenges, reducing penalties and implementing a comprehensive fleet recapitalisation programme.

The improvement follows the release of a subsidy by the Gauteng Provincial Government, which enabled NTI to pay outstanding salaries and settle payments to subcontractors. The entity remains under business rescue.

Dikobe also acknowledged the hardships endured by employees during the shutdown, saying some workers had gone for months without salaries, while others had lost property and, tragically, lives during the prolonged crisis.

He thanked employees and commuters for their resilience and patience, while calling on staff to continue working towards stabilising the entity.

The Department has appointed Dikobe as Acting Group CEO to oversee NTI while efforts continue to find a permanent solution for the company.

NTI said services would be progressively expanded as it works towards restoring full operations.