“This Country Is Falling Apart”: Mzansi Furious as Joburg Metrobus Slashes Off-Peak Routes From June

Johannesburg Metrobus cut bus trips across selected routes from Monday, 1 June, leaving hundreds of daily commuters in the lurch. The City of Johannesburg-owned operator blamed years of budget cuts and a sharp rise in diesel costs for forcing the changes. South Africans had a lot to say about it.

Fewer buses will now run during off-peak hours, particularly in the middle of the day. Routes between Gandhi and Parkhurst, Sunninghill, Petervale, and Tshwane are among those affected. Peak-hour services will be kept running to protect workers and learners who depend on the buses.

Mzansi is not impressed

Metrobus said no routes will be closed completely for now, but did not say when normal services would return. The company confirmed it would keep watching passenger numbers and its finances before making further decisions.

South Africans took to social media to react to the news, and the mood was bleak. Many felt the cuts were just another sign of a country struggling to hold itself together. One commenter questioned whether the real problem was rising diesel prices or a drop in the number of people using the buses.

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Another simply said it had been a long and hard year. Some called on the government to step up and help citizens start their own businesses instead of waiting for things to improve. One lighter comment suggested people hold on because horses might be on their way, a dig at City officials that got a few laughs.

The cuts come as the operator warned that without these adjustments, the entire service could be at risk.

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More stories involving the fuel hike

• The spokesperson of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), Rebecca Phala, said the body advised affiliates to limit minibus taxi fare increases due to rising fuel prices.
• South African motorists were heading for a decent fuel price drop in June 2026, with petrol and diesel both showing strong over-recoveries at month-end.
• Fuel prices in South Africa are set to increase from Wednesday, with petrol rising by R3.27 per litre and diesel going up by R6.19 per litre.

Source: Briefly News