Address by North West Transport, Roads and Community Safety MEC Phenye Vilakazi at the launch of the Transport Month, Mafikeng

Programme director
Honourable Premier
Commissioner Beetha
Councillors
Ladies and gentlemen

It was three years ago when the Minister of Transport, Jeff Radebe, together with the leadership of the transport public entities and MECs, decided to embark on an annual campaign that we now call Transport Month. The theme of this campaign is "Transport, the heartbeat of South Africa's Economic Growth and Social Development".

The key objective of this idea was to raise awareness and to obtain mass support for the following three key strategies:

* to control car use in all areas
* to promote public and non-motorised transport in all areas
* to cater for the safety and infrastructure needs of workers and learners who walk from one point to another everyday.

So, in the past two years, we have been embarking on various activities as part of this campaign. This year, we have planned the following activities for this month:

* official launch of the Transport Month here today, which includes the joint traffic and South African Police Service parade, launch of new traffic patrol cars and a joint law enforcement operation to be conducted by the police and our traffic officers. I must mention that the joint law-enforcement operations will be conducted throughout the province until the end of the month
* we also have the Mafikeng International Airshow which will be held this Saturday at the Mafikeng Airport. This a project through which we want to bring aviation to the people and expose them to the many opportunities in the aviation industry
* on 9 October 2007, we will board a train from Mafikeng to Vryburg as part of promoting rail as an alternative mode of transport
* on 1 October 2007, we will be having a summit with the taxi industry in Potchefstroom, which will be followed by a sod turning ceremony for a taxi retail outlet in Mafikeng the following day and a certificate awarding ceremony for members of the taxi industry whom we have trained in various skills including first aid and customer care
* on 18 October 2007, we will open a road at Mabalstad
* we will then conclude our activities with a cycling session from Mafikeng to Garona building on 24 October 2007.

With these activities, we hope to highlight the importance of transport in our lives as well as the various transport modes that can be used to improve our mobility.

I thank you.

Enquiries:
Mandla Mathebula
Tel: 018 387 4810
Cell: 083 282 6133
E-mail: mmathebula@nwpg.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Transport, Roads and Community Safety, North West Provincial Government
2 October 2007