https://www.polity.org.za
Deepening Democracy through Access to Information
Home / Speeches RSS ← Back
Close

Email this article

separate emails by commas, maximum limit of 4 addresses

Sponsored by

Close

Embed Video

SA: Sindisiwe Chikunga: Address by the Deputy Minister of Transport, at the occasion to mark the Official Opening of the National Route through Ventersburg, Free-State (15/04/2014)

SA: Sindisiwe Chikunga: Address by the Deputy Minister of Transport, at the occasion to mark the Official Opening of the National Route through Ventersburg, Free-State (15/04/2014)

15th April 2014

SAVE THIS ARTICLE      EMAIL THIS ARTICLE

Font size: -+

The Honourable MEC for Roads and Transport: Cde Butana Kompela

His Worship The Mayor of Lejweleputswa District Municipality: Cllr Mathabo Leeto

Advertisement

Honourable Mayor of Matjhabeng Local Municipality: Cllr Sebenzile Ngangelizwe

SANRAL Chairperson: Ms Thembakazi Mnyaka

Advertisement

SANRAL CEO: Mr. Nazir Alli

Hod of the Department of Police, Roads and Transport: Mr Sandile Msibi

SAPS Provincial Commission: Lt-Gen. S Mpembe

Captains of the Taxi and Bus Industries

Distinguished Guests

Members of the media

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

INTRODUCTION

 

  • South Africa had to travel a long and very difficult journey to where we are today. Allow me to just take us through that journey.

 

  • It was 1652 April 6! Here came the adventurer! His name is Jan Van Riebbeck, but his arrival in the Cape opened doors of colonial rule.
  • It was in 1910 where a Union of South Africa was formed which excluded Blacks.

 

  • In 1912, the African National Congress was formed to ensure unity of the people of South Africa.  The revolving wheel with a spear for national liberation, national freedom and national democracy.

 

  • It was in 1913! The Land Act promulgated, saying only a white minority few shall possess land.

 

 

  • In 1948, the National Party became government and institutionalized apartheid and South Africa was robbed of its future.

 

  • 1955 June 26 at Kliptown during apartheid rule the congress of the people adopted the Freedom Charter and said the people shall govern.

 

  • It was 1956! Women of South Africa marched to the Union Buildings and sent a public message that they would not be intimidated and silenced by unjust laws.

 

  • In 1960 March 21 the apartheid government killed defenseless people in Sharpville and others at KwaNyanga and KwaLanga.

 

The same year the apartheid government banned the ANC and all the liberation organizations.

 

  • In 1961, the ANC formed uMkhonto Wesizwe with comrade Mandela becoming its first Commander in Chief.

 

  • In 1963 the Treason Trial where many ANC leaders were given long sentences and Mandela received a life imprisonment.

 

  • June 16 1976, The Soweto Youth Uprising raised the political consciousness of many students as they peacefully denounced the Bantu Education Policy directives to make Afrikaans and English languages a compulsory medium of instruction in schools. Many young lions lost their lives through the brutality of apartheid government.

 

 

  • It was 1979 when Judge Leon the biological father of Mr. Toney Leon the leader of DA sentenced Solomon Mahlangu. On the 6th of April 1979 Solomon Mahlangu was hanged, however his blood continues to nurture the tree of freedom and his words whilst facing death continue to echo in our minds, and he said and I quote “ tell my people that I love them” close quote.

 

  • It was 1990! Nelson Mandela’s release symbolizing defeat of apartheid regime.  

 

  • It was in April 1993! Lapho Kwaguqa khona The Commissar and The Deputy Commander of the MK, Chris Thembisile Hani.

 

 

  • I remember 1993, the month of April! Africa and South Africa, lost an outstanding patriotic and revolutionary fighter for African liberation,

a central architect of the National Democratic Revolution, an intellectual cadre and the former Commander in Chief of the MK and President of the ANC, comrade Oliver Reginald Tambo. May the souls of all our struggle heroes and heroines rest, in eternal peace; in their memory the wheel of freedom will continue to move South Africa forward! Your lives impress and tell a good story of South Africa. 

 

  • It was 1994! The struggle and dream of 1912 was realised, ending the apartheid and a century of colonial domination of the Africa continent.

 

 

  • It was 1994 April 27th! When the world over witnessed the transition and transformation of South Africa to a non-racial, non-sexist, prosperous and democratic country. Building a better life for all.

 

  • Programme Director it is true – Yinde Lendlela esiyihambayo we cannot give up now, we will not give up in future. The struggle continues – Aluta continua.

 

Programme Director, Ladies and gentlemen;

 

  • It is in 2014! South Africa is celebrating Twenty years of Democracy, 20 years of working together. 20 years of bettering the lives of the people.

 

  • Yes! I say, it is in 2014 April 15th! In the area of Venterburg, wherein today we witness unyielding development delivery of a better life for all people of South Africa.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, today, we are saying, unlike our many struggle patriots, like Chris Hani who had to walk twenty kilometres to school every five days and then walk the same distance to church every Sunday. We are saying we have constructed and continue to construct Roads to Development. Roads that will continue to liberate our people from the trenches of poverty, inequality and unemployment.

 

Programme director, esteemed dignitaries;

 

Firstly, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all present. Thank you for lending us your precious time this afternoon as we come to celebrate another successful project brought about by a partnership between government and the community.

 I must say it is successful because we were able to make a difference and touch the lives of many people in the communities of Ventersburg and Mmamahabane.

 

THE PRESIDENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE COORDINATING COMMISSION - PICC

 

Ladies and gentlemen, government established the National Planning Commission which produced the landmark National Development Plan, the country’s socio-economic blueprint and one of the major achievements of this fourth administration. The Plan envisions our country’s future since its adoption moving forward to 2030.

 

This Plan has committed us on how to address backlogs to ensure that our citizenry has access to housing, water, sanitation and electricity. Within the NDP vision, three critical policy instruments will continue to drive government’s policy agenda. These include the New Growth Path, which promotes inclusive job creating growth, the National Infrastructure Plan and the Industrial Policy Action Plan.

Our comprehensively integrated long term infrastructure plan coordinated into 18 strategic projects (SIPs) is underpinned by enablers such as skills, transformation and industrialization.

 

President Zuma through the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission identified infrastructure as both a driver and an enabler for economic development. Today as a country on the move, we boast of a R1 trillion, long term infrastructure plan that is comprehensively integrated and coordinated into 18 strategic projects (SIPs) underpinned by enablers such as skills, transformation and industrialization.

 

To this end let me take this opportunity and wish our President, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma long life as he turned 72 years on April 12. Unwele olude Nxamalala.

 

 

THE TRANSPORT SECTOR

As the Transport sector we pride ourselves as the heartbeat for social and economic development.

The ttransport infrastructure is at the core of economic development, with so many facets, all of which pump and move South Africa forward, it is the life engine that propels change and put us as government, as communities and as individuals into action.

 

As the transport sector, we must affirm that our Entities are committed to service excellence, and the delivery of quality services to their customers. State-Owned Companies have expanded their skills development budgets and programmes, bringing more youth into engineering, artisanship and apprenticeship, thus beginning to respond to our economy’s need for more skills.

 

Honourable MEC Kompela, to attest to this notion, you will agree that our improved aviation, maritime, rail, road, and other transport infrastructure has progressively enabled South Africa’s transportation system to record significant growth in the past 20 years giving us strong ground to emerge from difficult economic global challenges.

 

This is a government at work, improving the lives of South African communities especially the rural poor. In 2014 alone, SANRAL has delivered quality completed infrastructure development projects which include:

  • The upgraded Road River Bridges in the Northern Cape
  • Newly improved N2 in the Eastern Cape;
  • The State of the art Dr Chota Motala Interchange in KwaZulu-Natal;
  • The N2 Section 18 in Viedgesille;
  • Warranton’s new bridge in the Northern Cape;
  • The N14 route between Sanieshof and Delareyville in the North West, where SANRAL is the project manager of SIP 4 which focuses on unlocking the economic opportunities in North-West Province.

 

  • And today we are opening the N1 Venterburg national route. This event today is not only a milestone but is also a testament to the fact that we, as your government, have listened to the calls of this community for a better and improved road infrastructure.

 

Together as Team Transport and our communities, we have delivered a good story that in turn is improving the lives of Ventersburg and Mmamahabane communities.

 

Programme Director, members of the community,

 

Government has always advocated through its policy for an integrated transport system that will heighten multimodal transport efficiencies; with the intention to integrate transport systems into passenger life style.

 

Our quality infrastructure service delivery extends to other transport modes that are aviation, rail and the maritime sectors. 

 

 

SIP7 focuses on Integrated Urban Space and Public Transport System. PRASA established SIP 7 Project Office to drive the government infrastructure programme under the PICC.

 

Through PRASA we have delivered a number of world class stations including Khayelitsha in Cape Town, and Park Station in Gauteng and more recently a R1.3 billion, 3.5 km multimodal Bridge City Development, a presidential lead project located in the centre of KwaMashu, Inanda and Ntuzuma Townships. This Bridge City station is integrated with retail development as well as a bus and taxi interchange within the North-South rail corridor.

More than 2600 coaches were upgraded and refurbished through the accelerated rolling stock programme and created more than 2000 direct and indirect jobs.

Through the Rolling Stock programme PRASA allocated R1 billion to an all women focused programme called the Women In Rail (WIR).The Women In Rail Programme will see a number of women empowered to participate in the available economic opportunities. To date twenty tenders will be issued under this programme.

 

Among the aims of SIP 7 is to modernize South Africa’s public transport, through the introduction of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT), as well as focusing on improving the Taxi Industry, which we have done.

 

In this regard, we have increased the money for Taxi Recapitalization from R67 000 to R70 000. The extension of the Taxi Recapitalization Programme by and additional two years presents an opportunity for the Taxi industry to voice their input on the restructuring of this programme going forward. We are a government that listens and delivers to the needs of the people.

 

In the aviation sector, we have recently launched a Civil Aviation Bursary Programme which is a tool to drive our aviation industry transformation.

 

According to Skytrax, a UK based company specializing in airline and airport research audited 400 international airports. South African airports took a lead in both African continent and the world.

 

  • Cape Town is number 1 in Africa and 22 in the world;

 

  • Durban King Shaka Intl Airport – is the second in Africa and number 26th globally;

 

  • OR Tambo International Airport is ranked 3 in Africa and 28th internationally;

 

  • All these three South African Airports are in the top 30 of the 100 international list of best world airports.

 

 

RECENT GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENTS IN OTHER SECTORS

SIP 9: Electricity Generation to support socio-economic development

In the Mpumalanga province, Electricity Generation to support socio-economic development at Camden, Grootvlei and Komati have been completed and commissioned, whilst Kusile has resulted in about 11 000 jobs and is nearing completion; and Ingula is also close to concluded and has resulted in more than 2 939 jobs and the total spend-to-date is around R12.7bn.

 

President Zuma has recently opened the Cornubia Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal as well as the De Hoop Dam in Sekhukhune, Limpopo.

This government has built more infrastructure projects in the past five years. This is an excellent story to tell, a story that has changed people’s lives. We have a social contract that better the lives of our people and continues to move our country forward.

None of this investment can be possible without a functional and well-maintained national road network. That is why we say that our road system carries the lifeblood of the South African and provincial economies with the national roads acting as the arteries and the provincial and local roads as the connecting veins.

 

Our transport infrastructure is the most needed economic engine for our success. With good and sound infrastructure come sustainable economies, efficient transportation and joy to all people. In the road sector SANRAL boast of a world class national road network.

 

Because of the outstanding work produced by SANRAL, when it comes to the quality of our national road network we are ranked position 18 in the world. And in terms of the length of our road network we occupy position 10 in the world with 750 000 kilometres.

 

 

ROAD SAFETY

We know that road accidents are one of the major problems that we face as the government. At a policy level we have noted that in order to half road accidents by half as per National Transport Land Act, the National Road Traffic Act, The Millennium Development Goals and the UN Decade of Action we have to relook at the interventions. We cannot rest until we have ultimately collapsed and obliterated the scourge of road carnage. 

 

As the Department of Transport, we believe that providing access to facilities and infrastructure is key to the development of our country. The safety of Pedestrians, cyclist, motorists, motor-bikers is a priority.

 

The continued provision of quality road infrastructure, The United Nations 2011-2020 Decade of Action for Road Safety and the Department of Transport’s comprehensive, coordinated and integrated 365 Days Road Safety programme among others are purposed at addressing road safety challenges.

The Minister of Transport comrade, Peters officially launched the 2014 National Easter Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign, on the 10th April 2014 in Kimberley, Northern Cape Province. Today we echo, the same road safety clarion call as we officially launch the Free State Provincial Easter Road Safety Campaign.

 

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that 2014 has many long weekends, which by way of road accident report, records a high number of fatalities. We urge all road users to be vigilant and obey all the rules of the road. 

To our public transport partners let all hands be on deck. Life lost through accidents is a country robbed of its future human capital and it cannot be allowed to continue. Let us think road safety, by driving safe, riding safe, and walking safe.   

 

THE N1 VENTERSBURG PROJECT

 

Coming back to this project, ladies and gentlemen,

Traffic volumes on the N1 through Ventersburg are reported to be approximately 6 000 vehicles per day of which 20% are heavy vehicles. almost 4 300 pedestrians cross the N1 on a daily basis between the Mmamahabane Township and Ventersburg. Eighty per cent (80%) of all learners who attend schools located in Ventersburg, reside within the Mmamahabane Township.

 

SANRAL’s Incident Management Systems identified this area as a high incident zone. The high volume of pedestrian movements and heavy vehicles across the N1 yield a high number of both vehicular and pedestrian accidents. As a consequence, the community and learners living in the Mmamahabane Township had to negotiate a dangerous crossing of the busy N1, at road level in order to access Ventersburg and its schools and this resulted in further unsafe conditions. As a caring government we were prompted to act and act swiftly hence the opening of this project.

 

SOCIO- ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR COMMUNITIES OF VENTERBURG AND MMAMAHABANE COMMUNITIES

The Department of Transport in conjunction with Provincial Departments of Police, Roads and Transport and our world class performing agency SANRAL continues to work together to make sure that similar projects like this R136 million N1 Ventersburg upgrade are developed to assist and bring about positive socio economic change to our people.

 

 

As we continue the roll-out, as per the manifesto of the ruling party, more youth are going to be absorbed into employment and skills-development programmes across the country in order to address their very urgent plight.

 

This project has brought job opportunities to the communities of Ventersburg as well as Mmamahabane. The number of local SMMEs that were employed on the contract is 42, at a cost of R64, 7 million.  309 jobs were created for the local community at a cost of R31, 6 million. The number of people employed on the contract amounted to 387 at a cost of R40,4 million.

 

Programme director,

Whilst we are focusing on the infrastructure build and industrialization we appreciate the impatience and frustration felt by those who still do not have access to decent basic services.

Allow me to quote from a long standing revolutionary cadre of liberation Karl Marx when he said and I quote,

“Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past. close quote.

 

Today, as I stand before you, a lot of hard work has been done but there’s more that still needs to be achieved. This can only be achieved by working together. As government joins hands with communities, rewriting a history that moves South Africa towards we will surely make 2030 vision a reality.

The good story we are telling is a legacy and an inheritance with which future generations will judge us by. We dare not fail, and render void the sacrifices of Oliver Reginald Tambo, Chris Thembisile Hani and Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu. The tenacious strength to serve transmitted from the patriots of yesterday to compatriots of today will sure be found in the generations of the future.

 

I thank you.

EMAIL THIS ARTICLE      SAVE THIS ARTICLE

To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Comment Guidelines

About

Polity.org.za is a product of Creamer Media.
www.creamermedia.co.za

Other Creamer Media Products include:
Engineering News
Mining Weekly
Research Channel Africa

Read more

Subscriptions

We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library.

Subscriptions are available via the Creamer Media Store.

View store

Advertise

Advertising on Polity.org.za is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. Email advertising@creamermedia.co.za

View options
Free daily email newsletter Register Now