Transport for Cape Town (TCT)- Creation of the City's First Transport Authority

Appointed as the founding Executive Director and later Commissioner, Melissa led the end-to-end establishment of TCT - a pioneering institution, which was recognised internationally for its progressive implementation-oriented governance structure.

Legal & Regulatory Foundation: Drafted and steered the TCT Constitution By-law (No. 7208 of 2013) through the council approval and gazetting process, creating its legal standing.
Operational Design: Built the Authority's internal systems and programmes, business plans, information management blueprint, governance structure, and performance management frameworks from the ground up.
Strategic Integration: Consolidated disparate functions related to transport planning, operations, and infrastructure implementation and maintenance under a single executive authority.

The City of Cape Town's transport functions were siloed across multiple departments with no clear investment focus, resulting in inefficient planning, budgeting and operations. There was no single authority with the mandate or accountability to deliver an integrated, city-wide transport system, hindering service delivery and strategic investment.

The Challenge

Our Role & Action

Successfully established South Africa’s first municipal Transport Authority within 18 months, setting a new national benchmark for metropolitan transport governance.

Laid the institutional groundwork that enabled subsequent innovations like the alignment and change of MyCiTi BRT into an integrated public transport system under the transport authority.
Ensuring that TCT joined the international collective of transport authorities, enabling collective learning and international cooperation, information sharing and investment.

The Impact

The establishment of TCT enabled the implementation of several innovative projects and programmes, which were spearheaded by Melissa, including:

The Transit-Oriented Development Strategy and related catalytic projects.
The securing of a R4.6 billion investment in partnership with the National Department of Transport and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) for the planning and development of the Blue Downs Rail Link, the building of three new railway stations and the refurbishment of two others, utilising the principles of transit-oriented development (TOD). This included establishing the governance framework of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to manage the project and unlock private sector and international investment over time, including investment in alternative rail and green solutions for the stations.
The design, negotiation and establishment of the N2 Express MyCiti BRT Service, which was operated from Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain into Cape Town CBD by CODETA, Route 6 and Golden Arrow Bus Service (GABS). This was a groundbreaking partnership that became a best practice for the Taxi Industry in the country. Members of CODETA and Route 6 were also trained in the bus business to enable them to take over the running of the service in the long term.
The establishing of the TCT Training Academy.
The design, funding and implemented of the All-Women Roads Repairs and Maintenance Programme across 21 TCT Depots in the City of Cape Town. The Programme, which was initiated through EPWP, ultimately added 160 permanent positions, all filled by women, to a highly male-dominant staff complement of 2000 in TCT. This Programme is now a national and international best practice.
The coordination of the development and approval of the City of Cape Town’s Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (CITP) and ensured that it became the transport chapter in the City’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP).
The establishing of the Integrated Transport and Development Authority (TDA), which was the natural evolution of TCT, through the amalgamation of the transport functions with human settlements, urban development and environmental management.