Cape Town’s Dial-a-Ride (DAR) service is a rare example of public transport that works for older people living with disabilities — and cutting it back would be a step backwards. An opinion piece highlights how typical clinic or SASSA trips can cost R240 by e-hailing, involve unsafe transfers near taxi ranks, and take seven hours for residents living just a few kilometres away. For many, DAR is the only practical, dignified option.
The City’s plan to tighten eligibility and prioritise work trips risks excluding essential access to healthcare, education, social and family visits. Research cited in the piece points to unsafe, inaccessible mainstream transport, with mobility costs swallowing 15%–30% of older people’s income — and in some cases up to R1,000 to secure a Grant-in-Aid.
Following advocacy from civil society, DAR has been extended temporarily, but a longer-term solution is needed. The call is clear: uphold constitutional and CRPD commitments, protect independence, and fund accessible transport that connects people to the services that sustain daily life.
