Issued by: Department of Transport
15 November 2001
The Minister of Transport, Dullah Omar last night welcomed the appointment of Dr Bongani Khumalo as the New Chairman of Transnet Board.
The Minister Omar said that Dr Khumalo should feel welcomed to the Transport family. "I want to congratulate Dr Bongani Khumalo on his appointment and assure him of my full support and cooperation", Omar said. "I'm sure that all our stakeholders in the transport fraternity and also at different spheres of government will give him all the support he needs", Omar confirmed.
Minister Omar said that the challenges facing Transnet and all its subsidiaries are enormous in the coming years. He described Dr Khumalo as a new foot soldier in service delivery who is determined to face these challenged head-on. He stressed that provision of a safe, reliable, affordable and efficient transport is top on government's agenda and said that all South Africans will directly benefit from Dr Khumalo's appointment to this position.
This appointment is not just a victory for Transnet but for Black Empowerment in general which will benefit all South Africans.
"I also want to thank the previous Chair of the Board, Prof. Louis Tager for her contribution to the development of Transnet and Transport in general. Her contribution is creditable. She has laid a firm foundation to work from", Omar said.
He said the challenge for the new Board under the leadership of Dr Bongani Khumalo was "to position Transnet to become a delivery machinery in building a better life for all South Africans".
Minister Omar wished Prof. Tager everything of the best in all her future endeavours. Tager became the Chair in 1990 when Transnet was going through an intense transformation process.
ISSUED BY:
Mike Mabasa
HEAD: Media Liaison and
Corporate Communication
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT
TEL: 083 680 7048