CSIR, Pretoria, 19th October 2001
Mr Director
Colleagues and friends
IT IS AN HONOUR AND A PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TONIGHT TO CELEBRATE TRANSPORTEK'S FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE FIRST TO PUBLICLY CONGRATULATE YOU ON FIFTY YEARS OF INNOVATION, ENTERPRISE AND SERVICE TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.
SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS OF OUR VIOLENT AND TURBULENT HISTORY THAT FIFTY YEARS CAN SEEM LIKE A LONG TIME TO US. BUT, REALLY, IT IS THE WINK OF AN EYE. WE ARE A VERY YOUNG COUNTRY, AND WE ARE YOUNGER STILL IN THE WAYS OF DEMOCRACY. WE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR STABILITY, EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THE GROWING PAINS OF MODERNISATION - IN OUR ECONOMY, OUR INSTITUTIONS AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
BRITAIN AND EUROPE CAN AND DO LAY CLAIM TO THE FACT THAT MANY OF THEIR ROADS DATE BACK TO ROMAN TIMES. BY WAY OF CONTRAST, A MERE FIFTY YEARS AGO, WHEN THE DIVISION (THEN KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL BINDER RESEARCH UNIT) WAS BROUGHT INTO BEING, MANY SECTIONS OF THE NATIONAL ROAD NETWORK WERE STILL UNSURFACED OR DID NOT YET EXIST. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IN THE CREATION OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN PRIMARY ROAD NETWORK.
WE CAN NOW SAY WITH A FAIR DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE THAT THIS NETWORK IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE. AND A GREAT DEAL OF THE CREDIT FOR THIS MUST GO TO TRANSPORTEK FOR BEING THERE, FOR CREATING THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO DESIGN AND BUILD ROADS THAT WOULD LAST.
EXAMPLES OF TRANSPORTEK'S CONTRIBUTION ARE TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION BUT MENTION SHOULD BE MADE OF RESEARCH ON ROAD BUILDING MATERIALS SUCH AS ON THE USE OF CALCRETES AND, MOST RECENTLY, THE HOT MIX ASPHALT PROGRAMME. THE HEAVY VEHICLE SIMULATOR, WHICH CAN TEST THE EXPECTED LIFETIME PERFORMANCE OF A ROAD IN A FEW WEEKS, IS BUT ONE OF SEVERAL JEWELS IN A CROWN THAT TRANSPORTEK CAN WEAR WITH PRIDE. NATURALLY OCCURRING MATERIALS SUITABLE FOR ROAD BUILDING ARE NOT ALWAYS READILY AVAILABLE AND TRANSPORTEK'S WORK ON CEMENT- AND LIME-STABILISED MATERIALS MADE IT POSSIBLE TO USE MARGINAL MATERIALS WITH PERFECT SAFETY.
WHILE TRANSPORTEK'S ORIGINAL FOCUS WAS ON THE HARD ENGINEERING ASPECTS OF ROAD BUILDING, IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE IT BEGAN TO SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN INFRASTRUCTURE QUALITY AND THE BROADER ISSUES OF ROAD SAFETY. THE NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL INTRODUCED THE LEGAL BLOOD ALCOHOL LIMIT OF 0,08 PER CENT IN 1973 AND LEGISLATION ON SEATBELT USAGE WAS PASSED IN 1977. BOTH OF THESE PIONEERING EFFORTS WERE UNDERPINNED BY THE WORK OF THE THEN NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORTATION AND ROAD RESEARCH. PARALLEL TO THIS, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS ALSO BEGAN TO RECEIVE THE ATTENTION OF THE INSTITUTE AS FAR BACK AS THE SEVENTIES.
THE LIFE OF A COUNTRY'S INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE DIVIDED INTO DISTINCT PHASES. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, THE FOCUS IS PRIMARILY ON CONSTRUCTION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE. THE FOCUS THEN SHIFTS TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE. FINALLY, AS TRAFFIC VOLUMES INCREASE, THE NEED TO OPERATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO CONTROL EVER-INCREASING CONGESTION BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT.
IN TANDEM WITH THESE SHIFTS IN FOCUS THE NEED ARISES TO DEVOTE INCREASING ATTENTION TO TWO VERY IMPORTANT SETS OF SOCIAL CONSIDERATION: THE SAFETY OF ROAD USERS AND EQUITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRANSPORTATION TO ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT TRANSPORTEK HAS ALWAYS STRIVEN TO DEVELOP A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO TRANSPORTATION, EVEN WHEN THE OVERALL CONTEXT OF GOVERNMENT POLICY WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO SUCH AN APPROACH. TRANSPORTEK HAS ALWAYS TRIED TO REMAIN IN TUNE WITH THE INDUSTRY IT SEEKS TO SERVE AND HAS BRAVED MANY STORMS IN THE PROCESS. THE SHIFTS IN EMPHASIS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITHIN THE ORGANISATION HAVE VERY ACCURATELY MIRRORED THE PHASES THROUGH WHICH THE TRANSPORTATION SCENE IN SOUTH AFRICA HAS PASSED - TO THE POINT WHERE, TODAY, WE FIND A NEW AND WELCOME EMPHASIS ON PROJECTS SUPPORTING SOCIAL INCLUSION AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF A DEVELOPMENTAL ORIENTATION THAT INCLUDES INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT FOR OUR SADC NEIGHBOURS.
MR DIRECTOR, MY DEPARTMENT AND TRANSPORTEK GO BACK A LONG WAY TOGETHER. IN THE BEGINNING, TRANSPORTEK WAS EFFECTIVELY THE RESEARCH ARM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND WAS WHOLLY FUNDED BY IT. IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGED IN THE COUNTRY AND TRANSPORTEK DIVERSIFIED ITS CLIENT-BASE AND BEGAN ITS REALIGNMENT TOWARDS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AN SADC. IT HAS SINCE THEN CREATED AN ALLIANCE NETWORK WITH MANY OTHER TRANSPORT RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS AND HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED HIGH PRAISE FOR ITS INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS FROM A TEAM OF INTERNATIONAL REVIEWERS.
I AM MINDFUL OF THE BRIDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BEING SOLD IN TAIWAN, THE WEIGH-IN-MOTION PADS AND THE MULTI-DEPTH DEFLECTOMETER BEING SOLD IN EUROPE. IN A WORLD WHERE IT IS ASSUMED THAT TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IS A NORTH-SOUTH PHENOMENON, I AM PARTICULARLY INTRIGUED BY TRANSPORTEK'S TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO THE UNITED STATES IN THE FORM OF THE HEAVY VEHICLE SIMULATOR AND ITS ASSOCIATED TECHNOLOGIES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE HEAVY VEHICLE SIMULATOR HAS ALSO BEEN SOLD TO SWEDEN, THAT FURTHER POSSIBLE SALES TO SOUTH AMERICAN ARE ON THE CARDS AND THAT THE DIVISION IS ALSO LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF OPENING UP WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN CHINA.
ALL IN ALL, TRANSPORTEK IS PROVING THAT IT CAN BE A WORLD-BEATER, WITHOUT LOSING SIGHT OF THE MANY CHALLENGES WITHIN SOUTH AFRICA THAT STILL NEED TO BE MET. LET US SPEND A FEW MINUTES LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES.
I STARTED OUT BY COMMENTING ON THE SPEED WITH WHICH SOUTH AFRICA DEVELOPED ITS PRIMARY ROAD NETWORK. UNFORTUNATELY, TRANSPORTEK CANNOT NOW SIT BACK AND TAKE A WELL-EARNED REST BECAUSE ONE OF OUR MAJOR CHALLENGES IS ACCELERATED DELIVERY.
IN MY RECENT PARLIAMENTARY MEDIA BRIEFING, I REPORTED ON THE ALL-ROUND GAINS TO THE ECONOMY AND OUR PEOPLE FROM STRATEGIC PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, SPECIFICALLY THE MAPUTO DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR, THE N3 ROAD PROJECT, THE N4 PLATINUM HIGHWAY AND THE LUBOMBO SDI. I LISTED THE NUMBER OF KILOMETRES OF ROAD THAT IS BEING UPGRADED, REHABILITATED AND MAINTAINED THROUGH THESE PROJECTS. I DREW ATTENTION TO THE JOB CREATION AND TRAINING THAT HAVE FLOWED FROM THE ADOPTION OF THE BOT APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL ROAD NETWORK AND I HIGHLIGHTED THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING- AND MAINTENANCE-BASED SMMES.
ON NON-CONCESSION PROJECTS, SIMILAR PERFORMANCES HAVE BEEN RECORDED. THE GOVERNMENT'S POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMME INVOLVES LARGE-SCALE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS AND JOB CREATION PROGRAMMES MAINLY DIRECTED TOWARDS RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE UPGRADING OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO OPEN UP WHOLE AREAS OF THE HINTERLAND PREVIOUSLY ISOLATED FROM SCHOOLS, CLINICS, SOCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS.
THE WORK THAT TRANSPORTEK DID IN THE PAST ON LABOUR-INTENSIVE CONSTRUCTION IS STARTING TO BEAR FRUIT - BUT NOW WHAT IS NEEDED IS A REALLY MAJOR PUSH TOWARDS RURAL TRANSFORMATION. THIS REQUIRES A MASSIVE PROGRAMME OF ACCESS ROAD CONSTRUCTION, JOB CREATION, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND SMME EMPOWERMENT. AS RESOURCES ARE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL PROGRAMME OF MULTI-SECTORAL RURAL NODE DEVELOPMENT, THERE WILL BE A CRUCIAL ONGOING RESEARCH AND PLANNING ROLE FOR TRANSPORTEK TO TAKE UP.
I NOW TURN TO THE SAFETY OF OUR ROAD USERS - AN ISSUE THAT IS ALWAYS UPPERMOST IN MY MIND. SINCE THE INITIATION OF ARRIVE ALIVE, IN WHICH TRANSPORTEK IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED, ROAD FATALITIES HAVE BEEN REDUCED BY AN AVERAGE OF 7,4 PER CENT IN EACH OF ITS FIRST FOUR PHASES.
TO MAINTAIN AND ACCELERATE THIS IMPETUS, ARRIVE ALIVE IS BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A YEAR-ROUND, 24-HOUR A DAY, SEVEN DAY A WEEK PROGRAMME. ITS FOCUS IS BEING EXTENDED BEYOND PEAK SEASON TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SAFETY COMMUNICATION TO INCLUDE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, TRAFFIC CALMING AND DEDICATED PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PROGRAMMES, WHILE THE NEW ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY - WHICH I WILL SHORTLY BE PUBLICLY LAUNCHING - CONCENTRATES ITS ATTENTION ON THE SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE TO BE SOLVED IN THE KEY AREAS OF DRIVER AND VEHICLE FITNESS, LAW COMPLIANCE, OPERATOR REGULATION, IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES AND PASSENGER AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
I KNOW THAT TRANSPORTEK HAS THE EXPERTISE TO ADDRESS ALL THESE FIELDS AND I WILL BE LOOKING TO YOU TO SUPPORT ME IN THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ROAD TO SAFETY.
A VERY LARGE PORTION OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN POPULATION WILL ALWAYS BE CAPTIVE TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND THE SAD IRONY OF THE POLITICAL LEGACY LEFT TO US BY THE PREVIOUS REGIME IS THAT THOSE WHO CAN LEAST AFFORD IT HAVE THE FURTHEST TO TRAVEL TO WORK. IN THE NEW DISPENSATION, IT BEHOVES US TO PROVIDE THE ENTIRE POPULATION WITH AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION.
THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED IN VARIOUS WAYS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE TAXI RECAPITALISATION PROJECT, IN WHICH TRANSPORTEK HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE. I TRUST THAT THIS INVOLVEMENT WILL CONTINUE. ANOTHER IMPORTANT INTERVENTION WILL BE THE DISMANTLING THE SINGLE LAND USE STRATEGY, WHICH WAS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE INFAMOUS GROUP AREAS ACT, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW APPROACH THAT EMPHASISES MULTIPLE, MIXED LAND USAGE. THIS WILL ENABLE WORKERS TO LIVE CLOSER TO THEIR PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT AND MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO USE ALTERNATIVE MODES OF TRANSPORT SUCH AS BICYCLES OR WALKING. I KNOW THAT IT IS WITHIN YOUR CAPABILITY TO MARRY LAND USAGE TO TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND TRUST THAT YOU WILL MAKE THIS SKILL AVAILABLE TO THE DEPARTMENT, THE PROVINCES AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED.
ANOTHER AREA OF IMPORTANCE IS THAT OF FREIGHT AND LOGISTICS. IN ORDER FOR SOUTH AFRICA TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE, THE TRANSPORT ELEMENT OF THE PRICE OF A COMMODITY MUST BE MINIMISED. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN OUR COUNTRY WHERE OUR ECONOMIC HEARTLAND IS MANY KILOMETRES FROM THE PORTS. TRANSPORTEK HAS THE SKILLS TO PROVIDE LOGISTICS ADVICE TO INDUSTRY TO ENABLE IT TO OPTIMISE TRANSPORT COSTS.
TRANSPORTEK HAS ALSO BEGUN TO DEVELOP PRODUCTS IN THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ARENA. ITS VeZA TOURISM CD IS ALREADY WELL KNOWN AND iPORT, WHICH PROVIDES ESSENTIAL INFORMATION TO TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES, IS HELPING BUILD CAPACITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. OTHER PRODUCTS ARE ON THE DRAWING BOARD. INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS, INCLUDING SMART CARD TECHNOLOGY, ARE GAINING IMPORTANCE BY THE DAY.
MR DIRECTOR, I HAVE SKETCHED YOUR PAST SUCCESSES AND PROVIDED AN INDICATION OF SOME OF YOUR FUTURE CHALLENGES. IN CONCLUSION, LET ME SAY THAT I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT TRANSPORTEK WILL BE ABLE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION AND PROVIDE THE INDUSTRY WITH SOLUTIONS THAT ARE PRACTICAL, IMPLEMENTABLE AND ELEGANT.
IN CONGRATULATING YOU ON THE PAST FIFTY YEARS, I WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS OVER THE NEXT FIFTY.
I THANK YOU.