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Polity
Article by: Sapa
Published: 01 Jun 2010
MPs rebuke Transnet, Transport Department
Transnet and the Transport Department came in for sharp words from Members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday for not having a shared vision for on the future of country's rail and road infrastructure.


The department wants MPs to adopt a R750-billion infrastructure plan that will be submitted to the National Planning Commission, but Transnet officials told the Parliamentary Committee on Transport that key aspects of the plan were not cost effective.


"It is very clear that what we have seen here today is a brother fight between the department of transport and Transnet," Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Manie van Dyk said.

"I think the sooner Transnet becomes part of the department of transport, the better for service delivery. I hope government will take a decision on this soon."

African National Congress MP Gerhardus Koornhof said infrastructure plans presented to the committee were not coordinated or integrated.

"There is no synergy between the plans. Please prove me wrong, to say 'we regularly interact with one another. We regularly meet with minister of national planning. We are in synergy. We work together. We meet regularly'. Then I will be happy.


"The impression I have when I leave this meeting is that is not the case."


One of the key aspects of the DoT plan is switching over rail networks from the current narrower Cape gauge to the wider standard gauge, which will allow for faster train travel.


Transnet believes the switch would not be cost effective as South Africa has 23 000km of Cape gauge to the wider standard gauge, which will allow for faster train travel.


Transnet believes the switch would not be cost effective as South Africa has 23 000 km of Cape gauge track and that trains already travel around 40km/h, which is well within international norms.


Public enterprises committee chair Vytije Mentor blasted Transnet acting CEO Chris Wells for saying there was a need for policy clarity on the plan.


"Transnet says they need policy clarity. The DoT is a policy department. The department has policy in place and I think there is resistance on the part of Transnet to move towards that policy."


She said that MPs would have to call in Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe as the leader of government business, Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan and Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele to discuss the matter.


"I think the next step to take is to call both ministers and speak to the leader of government, because this situation cannot continue. "If you tell us you are saving money," she said to Wells, "it is going to be costly. Later it is going to be more costly.


"That is precisely why you must plan now. To avoid that astronomic cost in the future. Actually there is resistance. Cabinet must clarify to us what are they doing about this."


Wells responded that Transnet had not attempted to undermine any policy from the department.


"We embrace policy. If we think it can be improved we give input. I don't believe there is any conflict. If the impression is that we trundle on our own, doing our own thing and not caring about anything else, it is totally incorrect."


He said Transnet had in fact initiated the national infrastructure plan for transport infrastructure.


"Our plan was tabled and shared with the department early on. In planning for 2050 we have been an integral part of it and we see us as working side by side."


He said there was an impression Transnet was opposing standard gauge rail, but nothing could be further from the truth.


"Indeed, the first proposed line outside of Gautrain is the Johannesburg-Durban link. We are participants in that. We have offered to fund the feasibility study.


"The point we are making is that there is 23 000km of Cape gauge track in the country. Even with all the money in the world that is not going to be changed overnight. We are willing and excited participants in planning the future, where appropriate, to standard rail."