JOHANNESBURG, 20 JULY 2000
ALLOW ME TO THANK YOU FOR THE WELCOME AND ALSO FOR THE INVITATION TO ADDRESS YOUR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. THE AGM OF THE INSTITUTE OF ROAD TRANSPORT ENGINEERS (IRTE) IS AN IMPORTANT OCCASION. ALL AGM'S ARE. AN AGM PROVIDES THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS MEMBERS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW ACHIEVEMENTS AND NON-ACHIEVEMENTS IN RESPECT OF THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW AND ALSO TO REFLECT ON THE CHALLENGES AHEAD.
IT ALSO ENABLES THE MEMBERSHIP TO CONSIDER BROADER PERSPECTIVES PLACED BEFORE IT SO THAT IN ADDITION TO BEING GOOD AND SUCCESSFUL ENGINEERS AND PROFESSIONALS, MEMBERSHIP WOULD ALSO BE ENCOURAGED TO BE GOOD CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY. THIS I BELIEVE IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
I WANT TO WISH YOU A SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND SUCCESS IN ALL YOUR DELIBERATIONS. AS ENGINEERS AND PROFESSIONALS, YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION. THIS TAKES PLACE AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A CONCERTED ATTEMPT TO LOCATE OUR OWN DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA AS A WHOLE.
WE ARE ALL AFRICANS AND PART OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. THAT IS WHY, DEVELOPING OUR OWN VISION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AFRICAN RENAISSANCE IN THIS THE AFRICAN CENTURY IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US. THE SKILLS, EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE YOU POSSESS, ALSO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE AND COMPETE ON FAVORABLE TERMS IN THE NEW GLOBALIZED WORLD ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY AND THE CONFIDENCE TO MEET THE CHALLENGES AHEAD AND IN THIS REGARD, YOU CARRY OUR GOOD WISHES.
GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT TRANSPORT PLAYS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR ECONOMY. TRANSPORT MUST ALSO ADDRESS SOCIAL NEEDS ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF A COUNTRY WHICH HAS A TERRIBLE LEGACY OF MASSIVE INEQUALITIES, DISPARITIES AND UNDERDEVELOPMENT OF LARGE PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY.
THE RACIAL IMBALANCES IN TERMS OF FACILITIES AND AMENITIES IN RESPECT OF SUPER STRUCTURE CAN ALSO NOT BE IGNORED. THAT IS WHY, IN 1996, WHEN THE VISION OF THE EMERGING NEW DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT WAS DEVELOPED, IT ARTICULATED THE VISION OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT "TO PROVIDE A SAFE, RELIABLE, EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT AND FULLY INTEGRATED TRANSPORT OPERATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE".
THIS VISION WAS ARTICULATED AT A TIME WHEN THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF WAS IN NEED OF TRANSFORMATION STOP. HERE, I DO NOT SPECIFICALLY REFER TO TRANSFORMATION IN A SENSE OF MAKING THE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE IN TERMS OF RACE AND GENDER - EVEN THOUGH THAT ASPECT WAS AND REMAINS IMPORTANT . I REFER PARTICULARLY TO INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION. WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE QUICK RESULTS.
BUT INSTITUTIONAL REFORM AND CREATING GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURES CONSISTENT WITH THE NEW CONSTITUTION WERE PREREQUISITES TO IMPLEMENTING RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES. WE INHERITED A RACIALLY FRAGMENTED SOUTH AFRICA DIVIDED INTO ELEVEN ENTITIES - THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA AND TEN SO CALLED BANTU HOMELANDS - FOUR OF THEM NOMINALLY INDEPENDENT. THIS DIVISION WAS ENTRENCHED IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE APARTHEID ERA AND ITS LEGAL SYSTEM, AS WELL AS ALL OTHER GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEMS.
THE RELEVANCE OF THIS IS TO BE FOUND IN THE FACT THAT THE OLD RSA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT ONLY SERVED ONE OF THE ELEVEN ENTITIES - REPRESENTING A MINORITY OF OUR PEOPLE. THE LAWS REFLECTED THE SAME PATTERN. SO DID THE BUDGETARY RULES. INSTITUTIONAL REFORM TO CREATE A SINGLE DEPARTMENT OF STATE IN ALL AREAS OF GOVERNMENT TO SERVE THE WHOLE COUNTRY AND ALL ITS PEOPLE WAS THEREFORE TOP PRIORITY.
WITHOUT SUCH INSTITUTIONAL REFORM, BUDGETARY RULES AND OTHER TRANSFORMATION PROCESSES COULD NOT LEGALLY BE EFFECTED. IN THAT PROCESS, WE HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A NEW CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK WHICH ALLOCATED FUNCTIONS TO THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT - NATIONAL, PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL.
BUT INSTITUTIONAL REFORM ALSO REQUIRED US TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WHICH WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICY, REGULATION, MONITORING AND OPERATIONS - WAS APPROPRIATE OR ADEQUATE IN THE NEW WORLD ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT. THIS WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE SOUTH AFRICA HAD JUST EMERGED FROM ISOLATION AND REJOINED THE WORLD COMMUNITY OF NATIONS.
WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT A NEW APPROACH WAS REQUIRED. FIRSTLY WE WERE REQUIRED TO SEPARATE POLICYMAKING AND REGULATIONS FROM OPERATIONS SO FAR AS WAS APPROPRIATE IN OUR COUNTRY AND SECONDLY WE WERE REQUIRED TO MAKE PROVISION FOR A PROMINENT ROLE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THE AREA OF OPERATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE. AND SO A NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND NINE PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS EMERGED. WE ALSO CREATED AGENCIES SUCH AS THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL ROADS AGENCY, THE SOUTH AFRICAN MARITIME SAFETY AUTHORITY, THE SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY AND THE AERONAUTICAL TRAFFIC AND NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEMS AS WELL AS THE SOUTH AFRICAN CROSS BORDER ROAD TRANSPORT AUTHORITY.
FUNCTIONS WERE TRANSFERRED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT TO THESE AUTONOMOUS AGENCIES. THAT PROCESS OF INSTITUTIONAL REFORM IS STILL IMPORTANT FROM OPERATION IN RESPECT OF THOUGHTS. WE NEED TO DEVELOP REGULATORY AUTHORITIES IN RESPECT OF BOTH OF THOSE SECTORS. EXCEPT IN RESPECT OF RAIL AND PORTS, ALL OF THESE AUTHORITIES ARE TODAY IN EXISTENCE AND ARE GENERALLY OPERATING SATISFACTORILY.
WE ALSO HAD TO DEVELOP NEW POLICIES. YOU ARE ALL AWARE OF THE WHITE PAPER ON TRANSPORT AND THE MOVING SOUTH AFRICA ACTION AGENDA. THESE PROVIDE US WITH A POLICY FRAMEWORK AND IMPLEMENTATION VISION. SINCE THE ADOPTION OF POLICIES, WE HAVE BEEN GRAPPLING WITH THE PROBLEM OF IMPLEMENTATION AND FIGHTING FOR ADEQUATE RESOURCES OR FUNDING - LIKE ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
ALL THESE REFORMS WERE TAKING PLACE IN THE CONTEXT OF SIMILAR REFORMS IN OTHER PORTFOLIOS IN GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MASSIVE CONSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION OF OUR COUNTRY WHICH SAW THE COMING INTO FORCE OF THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION, THE CREATION OF MANY STRUCTURES PROVIDED FOR IN THE CONSTITUTION, THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AND ADOPTING A FINAL CONSTITUTION, THE HOLDING OF ELECTIONS, THE HOLDING OF THE FIRST LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS, THE RE- DEMARCATION OF MUNICIPALITIES AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS ON THE BASIS OF THE RE-DEMARCATED MUNICIPALITIES DUE TO TAKE PLACE SHORTLY. IN OTHER WORDS, OUR PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION IS A MULTI-FACETED ONE.
IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION, IF I MAY JUMP AHEAD A LITTLE, LET ME CONCENTRATE ON THE CURRENT YEAR. FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF PRIORITIES - EXTERNAL TO THE DEPARTMENT AND INTERNAL TO THE DEPARTMENT. IN RESPECT OF THEM, THE DEPARTMENT HAS DEVELOPED BUSINESS PLANS. THE PRIORITIES RELEVANT TO YOUR DISCUSSIONS ARE THE FOLLOWING:
SAFETY ISSUES - SAFETY ON ROAD, SAFETY ON RAIL, SAFETY IN THE AIR AND SAFETY AT SEA IS OUR PRIORITY FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR.
ROAD SAFETY
THE ARRIVE ALIVE CAMPAIGN - ESSENTIALLY A COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN ORGANISED AROUND ENHANCED LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ONGOING INITIATIVES TO CHANGE THE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR OF ROAD USERS - HAS MET OR EXCEEDED THE 5% CRASH AND FATALITY REDUCTION TARGETS SET FOR IT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
IT IS NOW ENTERING A NEW PHASE OF EXISTENCE IN WHICH IT IS BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMME IN WHICH ALL ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES WILL BE CONCENTRATED ON IDENTIFIED HIGH-RISK PLACES ON THE NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL ROAD NETWORK.
OUR EXPERIENCE HAS CLEARLY SHOWN US THAT THIS IS THE CORRECT APPROACH TO TAKE TOWARDS SUSTAINING ARRIVE ALIVE AS AN EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENT OF ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WHILE IT INTERSECTS AT THE POINT OF ENFORCEMENT WITH A NUMBER OF THE OTHER KEY ELEMENTS WHICH MUST BE PULLED TOGETHER TO MAKE UP A COMPREHENSIVE ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY, IT CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO CARRY THE BURDEN OF SHAPING AND DEVELOPING THE MULTIPLE INITIATIVES REQUIRED TO GIVE LIFE TO SUCH A STRATEGY.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE REVITALISED THE ROAD TRAFFIC SAFETY BOARD AND - ARMED WITH ITS MANDATE AND THE ACTIVE COOPERATION OF THE NINE PROVINCIAL TRANSPORT MEC'S - LAUNCHED THE DRAFT ROAD SAFETY DOCUMENT STRATEGY 2000 - 2004. THIS IS A SHORT-TERM CONSULTATIVE PAPER WHICH HAS BEEN MADE WIDELY AVAILABLE TO STAKEHOLDERS AND ROLE- PLAYERS IN THE LAND TRANSPORT SECTOR.
THEIR FEEDBACK HAS NOW BEEN RECEIVED AND IS BEING INTENSIVELY PROCESSED BY THE CROSS-SECTORAL IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUP WHICH HAS BEEN TASKED TO REPORT BACK WITH A CAREFULLY PRIORITISED TWO-STAGE ACTION PLAN TO ADDRESS BOTH THE SHORT-TERM AND THE MEDIUM- TO LONG-TERM CHALLENGES WE FACE IN THE ARENA OF ROAD SAFETY. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE REVISED STRATEGY 2000-2004 REPORT WILL BE PUBLICLY LAUNCHED BEFORE THE END OF YEAR.
RAIL SAFETY
IN TERMS OF RAIL SAFETY SPECIFICALLY, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT IS IN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING, DEVELOPING AND EVALUATING POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE MODELS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT RAIL SAFETY REGULATOR (RSR) FOR SOUTH AFRICA.
THE PENDING RESTRUCTURING AND PRIVATISATION OF BOTH TRANSNET AND COMMUTER RAIL REQUIRES THAT AN INDEPENDENT SAFETY BODY BE IN PLACE BEFORE ANY RESTRUCTURING TAKES EFFECT. THIS WILL PUT AN END TO THE SITUATION OF RAIL OPERATORS ACTING AS BOTH PLAYER AND REFEREE WITH RESPECT TO SAFETY ON THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE.
THE OBJECTIVE IS TO CREATE AN INDEPENDENT AUTHORITY WHICH WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING FREIGHT AND PASSENGER RAIL SAFETY ON A CO-ORDINATED BASIS. THIS APPROACH HAS BECOME COMMON PRACTICE INTERNATIONALLY.
AVIATION AND MARITIME SAFETY
SOUTH AFRICA ALSO PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICA TRANSPORT COMMUNICATION COMMISSION (SATCC) AND ACCEDED TO THE SADC PROTOCOL ON TRANSPORT COMMUNICATIONS AND METEOROLOGY, WHICH AIMS TO INTEGRATE THE REGION'S TRANSPORT SYSTEMS AND SAFETY REGIMES AND TO ADVANCE THE COMMON ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROSPERITY OF THE REGION.
SOUTH AFRICA IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ICAO COMMUNICATION, NAVIGATION, SURVEILLANCE, AND AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT (CNS/ATM) CONCEPT THROUGH STRUCTURES SUCH AS SADC AND ICAO. THE COUNTRY ALSO SERVES ON NUMEROUS WORKING GROUPS TO ASSIST AND GAIN EARLY BENEFITS FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM IN THE AFRICA AND INDIAN OCEAN AREA.
THE SEARCH AND RESCUE OVERSIGHT FUNCTION REMAINED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT, WHILE MARITIME AND AERONAUTICAL SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS WERE MOVED OUT OF HOUSE AND PLACED UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE MARITIME SAFETY AGENCY(SAMSA) AND THE AIR TRAFFIC AND NAVIGATION SERVICES COMPANY (ATNS) RESPECTIVELY.
AN INTENSIVE PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN ON SASAR HAS BEEN LAUNCHED, AND THE NDOT HAS MADE PRESENTATIONS ON THE SCOPE AND ACTIVITIES OF SASAR AT DISASTER MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN THE FREE STATE PROVINCE, THE NORTHERN PROVINCE AND KWAZULU-NATAL AS WELL AS AT THE UMBRELLA BODY FOR ALL NINE PROVINCES, THE PROVINCIAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
A DRAFT SEARCH AND RESCUE BILL WAS COMPILED AND CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND INTERESTED PARTIES WAS LIVELY AND PRODUCTIVE. THE BILL WILL SHORTLY BE INTRODUCED IN PARLIAMENT.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE TAXI INDUSTRY INCLUDING ITS FORMALIZATION, DEMOCRATIZATION, REGULATION AND ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT WHICH INCLUDES TAXI RECAPITALIZATION;
IN TERMS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT IS NOW IN THE LAST STAGES OF FINALISING THE FUNDING MECHANISMS WHICH WILL ESTABLISH THE INFRINGEMENT AGENCY CONTEMPLATED IN TERMS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUDICATION OF ROAD TRAFFIC OFFENCES ACT OF 1998. THE MAJOR EFFECTS OF THE NEW AGENCY WILL BE:
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POINTS DEMERIT SYSTEM, TOGETHER WITH COMPLETION OF THE ROLL-OUT OF THE CREDIT CARD FORMAT LICENCE (IN ABOUT THREE YEARS TIME), WILL HAVE THE EFFECT OF STEADILY TAKING BOTH RECKLESS AND ILLEGAL OR FRAUDULENT DRIVERS OFF SOUTH AFRICA'S ROADS.
IN MORE GENERAL TERMS, IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THE INCREMENTAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AARTO SYSTEM WILL INCREASINGLY GUARANTEE QUICK, SURE AND EFFECTIVE FOLLOW-THROUGH FROM ROADSIDE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS TO PENALTY PAYMENTS AND DISQUALIFICATIONS, AND THAT THIS WILL MAKE A VERY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO STAMPING OUT THE CULTURE OF IMPUNITY WHICH CURRENTLY EXISTS AMONGST MANY ROAD USERS, REPLACING IT WITH A POSITIVE AND RESPONSIBLE CULTURE OF LAW COMPLIANCE.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CORPORATION (RTMC) IS SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO RE-DEFINE AND STRENGTHEN THE STRUCTURES AND MECHANISMS FOR CO- OPERATION BETWEEN THE NATIONAL, PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL SPHERES OF GOVERNMENT IN SUPPORT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ROAD TRAFFIC STRATEGIC PLANNING, REGULATION, FACILITATION AND ENFORCEMENT.
IT WILL ALSO CREATE CONDITIONS WHICH WILL ALLOW THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO TAKE UP OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PROVISION OF ROAD TRAFFIC SERVICES IN AREAS WHERE PUBLIC SECTOR CAPACITY REQUIRES REINFORCEMENT AND BUSINESS IS CAPABLE OF BRINGING IN THE NECESSARY EXPERTISE WITHIN A CONTEXT OF EFFECTIVE REGULATION. THE RTMC WILL IN EFFECT CREATE A STRUCTURE IN WHICH A POOLING OF POWERS AND RESOURCES NATIONWIDE CAN TAKE PLACE UNDER A SINGLE MANAGEMENT UMBRELLA, AND WILL BRING ALL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONS UNDER ONE ROOF.
IT WILL BE OVERSEEN BY A SHAREHOLDERS COMMITTEE COMPRISING THE NATIONAL MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, THE NINE PROVINCIAL MEC'S AND TWO REPRESENTATIVES OF SALGA.
THE CORPORATION WILL BE SELF-FINANCING THROUGH A SET OF FLEXIBLE FUNDING MECHANISMS COMPRISING: A PERCENTAGE OF THE TRANSACTION FEES EARNED THROUGH THE PROVISION OF ROAD TRAFFIC SERVICES; FINES AND PENALTIES FOR CONTRACTED LAW ENFORCEMENT; AND INTEREST ON INVESTED CASH BALANCES. IT WILL ENABLE THE FOCUSSED AND TARGETED ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS BEGUN BY ARRIVE ALIVE TO BE CARRIED FORWARD WITHIN AN INCOMPARABLY MORE STRUCTURED AND BETTER RESOURCED ENVIRONMENT, AND IS EXPECTED TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL RESOURCES.
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE - A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM. THROUGH THE NATIONAL ROADS AGENCY (SANRA), AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DTI, THE NDOT HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MULTI-BILLION RAND MAPUTO AND LUBOMBO SDI'S. LATE LAST YEAR WE APPOINTED THE BAKWENA CONSORTIUM TO CONSTRUCT THE 380 KM, R2.6 BILLION N4 WEST PLATINUM TOLL ROAD.
THIS MAJOR BOT PROJECT, REPRESENTING A SIGNIFICANT NEW DEPARTURE IN THE PROMOTION OF COOPERATIVE VENTURES BETWEEN SMALL AND LARGE ENTERPRISES, WILL UPGRADE THE LINK BETWEEN GAUTENG AND BOTSWANA AND CREATE THE FIRST HIGH QUALITY TRANS-CONTINENTAL ROAD ROUTE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, LINKING MAPUTO ON THE EAST COAST TO WALVIS BAY ON THE WEST COAST. IT HAS CREATE NEW JOBS AND TRANSFER SKILLS, DEVELOP EMERGENT ENTREPRENEURS, PROMOTE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND GREATLY FACILITATE REGIONAL TRADE FLOWS.
IN TERMS OF RURAL ROADS, BUILDING ON ITS NOW EXTENSIVE SDI- BASED EXPERIENCE IN LABOUR-BASED CONSTRUCTION METHODS, STIMULATION OF SMME'S, TECHNICAL TRAINING AND SKILLS TRANSFER, SANRA HAS IDENTIFIED A WIDE RANGE OF SHORT TERM PROJECTS TO SUPPORT THE PROVINCES IN RURAL ROADS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES LINKED TO GOVERNMENT'S BROADER INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.
DRAWING ON FUNDING ALLOCATED UNDER THE PRESIDENTIAL POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMME, THE AGENCY IS FOCUSING ON PROJECTS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE POOR COMMUNITIES WITH DESPERATELY NEED BASIC ACCESS ROUTES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CONTRIBUTING TO THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES THROUGH THE PROVISION OF EMPLOYMENT IN LABOUR-BASED CONSTRUCTION, LITERACY TRAINING AND THE TRANSFER OF TECHNICAL AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT SKILLS.
IN THE EASTERN CAPE, 57 PROJECTS ON PROCLAIMED PROVINCIAL ROADS WERE IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING PATCH GRAVELLING AND DRAINAGE CORRECTION TO BRING THEM BACK INTO SERVICEABLE CONDITION. IN ADDITION, 38 BRIDGES AND MAJOR STREAM CROSSINGS WERE SELECTED AS BEING CRITICAL TO THE ROAD SYSTEM. IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCE, 127 DRAINAGE STRUCTURES AND 43 RE- GRAVELLING PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED, COVERING 499 KILOMETERS OF ROAD IN THE MOST CRITICAL ACCESS AREAS.
LOOKING TOWARDS THE MEDIUM AND LONG TERM, A COMPREHENSIVE RURAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY WAS DEVELOPED DURING THE FIRST HALF OF 1999, COVERING ALL ASPECTS OF RURAL TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS, AND TAKING AS ITS STARTING POINT THE RECOGNITION THAT TRANSPORT NEEDS TO BE CONSCIOUSLY PLANNED IN ORDER TO SUPPORT AND COMPLEMENT OTHER FORMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE DELIVERY.
THE DEPARTMENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT WORK DONE BY THE PROVINCES AND BY OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, THE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY RUNNING A RURAL TRANSPORT ACCESSIBILITY PILOT PROJECT IN NORTH-EASTERN KWAZULU-NATAL. THE CORE AIM OF THE PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE LOCAL ACCESSIBILITY AS A PRECONDITION FOR THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE CREATION OF SUSTAINABLE SMME'S AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO ROAD AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.
THANK YOU