The recent high increase in public transportation fees announced on Wednesday in the Government Gazette Notice number 307 of 2026 was not sanctioned by government, the nation has been told.

In an official address to the nation on Thursday, President Advocate Duma Boko said the heavy increase in public transport fees was gazetted without the blessing of cabinet, and was thus rescinded a day later.

As a consequence, the director of Department of Road Transport Services (DRTS), Mr Bokhutlo Modukanele was suspended from duty pending an investigation into how public transport fare increases announced on March 31 differed with the rates approved by cabinet, the President revealed.

Explaining the background, President Boko said cabinet had met last December 10 and among other things considered a report from DRTS on proposed public transport fee increases.

That report had been developed after consultation with public transport operators and stakeholders, and modifications amounting to varying percentage increases for bus, taxi and minibus public transport fares were proposed  for cabinet to consider at the time.

But the government then decided not to immediately effect public transport price increament at a period of extensive Christmas holiday travel, the President said.

With the recent fuel price increase announced as a consequence of the global fuel shortage caused by the Middle East conflict, another round of talks were held with public transport operators' organisations, the President revealed.

He said the price increases that appeared on the March 31 government gazette had not been approved by cabinet.

Instead, the statement presented to Parliament by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae on Thursday, and the subsequent notification of the Government Gazette, reflected the last public transport price increases sanctioned by cabinet that factored in commuters as well as operators' interests, the President said.

President Boko said government should function professionally with the political leadership and technocrats in the civil service, making collective decisions and official announcements that had a collective buy in. The government would investigate what transpired and take remedial steps, the President said. ENDS