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Transport
Introduction
The aim of the Department of Transport is to lead the provision of an intergrated, sustainable, reliable and safe transport system by planning developing, co-ordinating, promoting and implementing transport policies and strategies.
The department aims to achieve the following:
- competitive transport costs
- improved safety and security
- reduced infrastructure backlogs
improved access
- reduced transit times.
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Policy
Public Transport Strategy (2007 – 2020)
In March 2007, Cabinet approved the Public Transport Strategy (2007 – 2020) [PDF]. The strategy aims to accelerate the improvement in public transport by establishing integrated rapid public transport networks (IRPTNs), which will introduce priority rail corridors and bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in cities.
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Public Transport Action Plan
The high-level Public Transport Action Plan [PDF] supplements the Public Transport Strategy. It maps out phase one (2007 – 2010) to fast-track an implementation programme over the next four years, targeting the initial development of high-quality IRPTNs in 2010 World Cup host cities.
The essential feature of the Public Transport Strategy is the phased extension of mode-based vehicle recapitalisation into IRPTNs. These networks comprise an integrated package of rapid rail, BRT and taxi and metered taxi priority networks, especially in major cities. The strategy is expected to improve public-transport services for over half of the country’s population.
The IRPTN package involves citywide, transport authority-controlled networks of rapid public transport corridors and feeder systems of smaller buses, taxis, bicycles, pedestrian access, as well as metered taxis and park-and-ride facilities. Full special needs and wheelchair access for all trunk corridor rail and road vehicles will also be implemented.
An amount of R9 billion was allocated to improve public-transport infrastructure over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period. This includes a further R19,2 billion for airports, R5,5 billion for national roads, R8,5 billion for passenger rail and R9,2 billion for public transport for the 2010 World Cup.
The projects which are funded through the Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems Grant include:
- public transport links and facilities
- public transport interchange facilities
- rail infrastructure and system upgrades
- inter-modal facilities
- information technology (IT) infrastructure and systems
- non-motorised transport (NMT) infrastructure
- airport-city accommodation and stadium links.
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Electronic National Traffic Information System (eNaTIS)
In April 2007, the Department of Transport replaced the 14-year-old National Traffic Information System (NaTIS) with the eNaTIS, which uses state-of-the art technology.
The eNaTIS is the national register and asset that stores, records, manages and enforces the requirements of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA), 1996 (Act 93 of 1996), [PDF] and the National Road Traffic Regulations.
It provides for the registration and licensing of vehicles, and manages and records applications for and authorisation of driver’s and learner’s licences. The eNaTIS is also a law-enforcement tool that is used to ensure that details of stolen vehicles are circulated to prevent the irregular or fraudulent reregistration of such vehicles.
The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) is linked to the eNaTIS, ensuring that only vehicles that meet South Africa’s stringent safety standards are allowed to be registered.
The eNaTIS provides the following immediate advantages:
- centralised road-traffic management data
- elimination of fragmented small systems
- reduction in queues due to the implementation of online transactions
- improved system security
- lower-operating costs
- convenient, easy interaction by members of the public
- rapid deployment of new software. The eNaTIS is one of the most advanced traffic-management systems in the world. It interfaces directly with the South African Police Service (SAPS), motor manufacturers, vehicle builders, vehicle importers, investigative agencies, financial institutions and insurance companies. Vehicles are managed on the system from factory floor to scrap yard.
The system was commissioned on 12 April 2007 with 4,6 billion records. While the old NaTIS performed an average of 287 000 transactions per day in March 2007, between April and May 2007, eNaTIS performed about 326 000 transactions per day (13,4% more) with 93% uptime.
Since May 2007, eNaTIS has performed about 619 000 transactions per day (115% more) with 100% uptime. One of the functions that will be added to eNaTIS will enable motorists to do transactions using the Internet.
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2010 Action Agenda
In October 2006, the Minister of Transport, Mr Jeff Radebe, announced that the 2010 Transport Action Agenda had been developed and that the World Cup Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems Grant had allocated the initial funding to municipalities.
Government has set aside R9 billion for public-transport infrastructure for the 2010 World Cup.
By mid-2007, the implementation of the 2010 Transport Action Plan was under way, and the host cities had submitted detailed plans and had started implementing physical projects funded through the Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems Grant.
The provincial 2010 World Cup projects in host cities and their budget allocations include:
- Rea Vaya in Johannesburg, integrating trains, taxis and buses, at a cost of R329 million
- inner-city distribution and BRT networks in Tshwane worth R104 million
- Khulani Corridor in Nelson Mandela Bay, a BRT project worth R200 million
- BRT projects on the Klipfontein Corridor along the N2 highway and Airport City in Cape Town
- the Warwick Junction in Durban’s inner city
- road infrastructure-upgrading projects in Limpopo.
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Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)
The integrated Broad-Based BEE (BBBEE) Charter for the Transport Sector sets targets for empowerment and participation through ownership, management and employment in companies throughout the transport-sector value chain. The charter aims to ensure representivity for black women and designated groups across most of the BEE indicators.
One of the most important priorities has been to maximise the participation of black people in the mainstream economy, as part of the Codes of Good Practice on BEE approved by Cabinet in February 2007.
As a result, BBBEE has been effectively placed at the centre of economic growth to promote economic transformation and enable meaningful participation of black people in the transport industry, and to achieve a substantial change in the racial composition of ownership and management structures of existing and new enterprises.
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Non-motorised transport
The promotion of NMT primarily aims to increase transport mobility and accessibility, mainly in rural areas.
The Department of Transport has broadened its Shova Kalula “Pedal Easy” project into a more comprehensive NMT project and intermediate means of transport that incorporates cycling, animal-drawn carts, NMT infrastructure and safety issues.
According to Statistics South Africa, 80% of South Africans depend on public transport. According to the National Household Travel Survey, 2003[PDF] walking and cycling constitute 23% of modal share. The survey found that 76% of the learners walk to education resource centres and three million of them spend more than an hour walking to and from places of learning.
The department aims to distribute a million bicycles countrywide by 2015, in line with the resolution and action plan of the African Ministers’ Transport Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2005.
Shova Kalula also incorporates the establishment of micro businesses which sell, repair and maintain bicycles to ensure the sustainability of the project.
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New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad)
From a transport point of view, key issues in creating an effectively co-ordinated African response to global market challenges are market access, mobility and systems integration.
The Department of Transport is contributing actively to the practical realisation of Nepad and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) development goals in several major areas, by promoting:
- efficient and effective maritime transport services
- rail-systems integration
- road-systems development and infrastructure maintenance.
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Public entities and other agencies
The Department of Transport has established different bodies to take over certain elements of government’s operational activities. They are the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral); South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa); Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA); Transport Appeal Tribunal; Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC); National Railway Safety Regulator and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).
The Transport Agencies General Laws Amendment Bill seeks to standardise practices within entities by streamlining the selection and appointment of board members and CEOs. The Bill aims to:
- streamline the appointment processes and procedures and remove limitations of delivery capacity
- boost the performance of entities through strict monitoring of performance agreements
- ensure the smooth harmonisation of the national policy directive and strategic objectives of the entities.
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South African National Roads Agency Limited
South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) is an independent, statutory company responsible for the design, construction, management and maintenance of South Africa’s national road network, including toll and non-toll roads.
Sanral’s responsibilities are to:
- strategically plan, design, construct, operate, rehabilitate and maintain South Africa’s national roads
- deliver and maintain a world-class primary road network
- generate revenue from the development and management of its assets
- undertake research and development to enhance the quality of the country’s roads
- upon request of the Minister of Transport and in agreement with a foreign country, provide, operate and maintain roads in that country.
Sanral is responsible for the existing national road network of 16 750 kilometres, at an estimated value of over R40 billion. Over the MTEF period, transfers were expected to increase due to additional allocations of R350 million in 2007/08, R550 million in 2008/09 and R1,2 billion in 2009/10. This funding is for non-toll national-road infrastructure.
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South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa)
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) is a statutory body that reports to the Minister of Transport. Its responsibilities include promoting safety of life and property at sea, preventing marine pollution by pollutants emanating from ships, and co-ordinating overall technical operations. It also develops policy on legal issues, foreign relations, marine pollution and certain specific safety matters.
Samsa’s main functions are:
- providing shipping competence and pollution services in a regional context
- managing marine incidents, casualties and wrecks, and participating in search-and-rescue missions
- controlling standby tugs and pollution stores
- maintaining seafarers according to standards of training and staffing criteria
- providing a shipping-administration support service
- managing the registration of ships
- managing a coastal patrol service
- managing vessel traffic, including navigation aids
- providing lighthouse services.
Funding comes from, among other sources, levies on ships calling at South African ports, direct user charges and government service fees.
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Cross-Border Road Transport Agency
The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA) regulates and controls cross-border passenger, freight and road transport. It also facilitates the establishment of co-operative and consultative relationships and structures between public and private-sector institutions, with an interest in cross-border road transport.
The CBRTA fosters investment in the cross-border road-transport industry and provides high-quality cross-border freight and passenger road-transport services at reasonable prices. The agency works on a cost-recovery basis and any profits from cross-border permit fees are ploughed back into the system through a price reduction on permits in the following financial year. It also encourages small-business development in the industry.
The CBRTA is also involved in collecting, processing and disseminating relevant information; providing training and capacity-building; and promoting entrepreneurship, focusing on small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) with an interest in cross-border road transport.
The functions of the agency include:
- advising the Minister of Transport on cross-border transport matters and assisting in the process of negotiating and renegotiating cross-border road-transport agreements on request
- regulating the road-transport industry’s access to the cross-border road-transport market
- facilitating ongoing co-operative and consultative relationships and structures between the public and private sectors in support of cross-border road-transport operations
- undertaking road-transport law enforcement. The main source of income for the CBRTA is fees charged for cross-border permits.
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South African Civil Aviation Authority
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) promotes, regulates and enforces civil-aviation safety and security.
The SACAA is a leader in the aviation-regulatory sector in the SADC region. It has hosted several regional meetings and conferences, and is the driving seat of efforts to harmonise aviation regulations in the region and to improve the level of aviation surveillance.
In 2003, South Africa was elected as a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council and was requested to establish a South African office at the ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada.
The SACAA is funded by a combination of direct and indirect fees and government funding for the investigation of aircraft accidents. User fees are based on the recovery of the agency’s costs to provide the relevant direct services. This approach creates a more efficient and cost-effective regulatory regime and a safer civil-aviation system.
Indirect fees are recovered through aircraft and passenger safety charges payable by all scheduled passengers.
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Transnet Limited
Transnet, which is transforming into a focused freight-transport and logistics company, comprises the following operating divisions:
- Transnet Freight Rail (formerly Spoornet) – the freight rail division
- Transnet Rail Engineering (formerly Transwerk) – the rolling stock maintenance business
- Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) (formerly National Ports Authority) – fulfils the landlord function for South Africa’s port system
- Transnet Port Terminals (formerly South African Port Operations) – manages port and cargo terminal operations in the country’s leading ports
- Transnet Pipelines (formerly Petronet) – the fuel and gas-pipeline business, pumps and manages the storage of petroleum and gas products through its network of high-pressure, long-distance pipelines.
Transnet was set to spend about R17 billion in 2007/08 as part of its capital investment. Projects include:
- providing 110 locomotives for the coal line and 212 locomotives for the general freight business of Transnet Freight Rail
- widening and deepening the Port of Durban’s entrance channel
- constructing a new container terminal in Ngqura in the Eastern Cape
- expanding the Cape Town container terminal
- constructing a new multiproduct pipeline between Durban and Johannesburg to boost capacity from 2010.
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Road transport
National roads
In terms of the National Roads Act, 1998 (Act 7 of 1998) [PDF]government is responsible for overall policy, while road-building and maintenance is the responsibility of Sanral.
The Department of Transport continues to improve the road network by ensuring that it is well maintained and safe. A new national roads plan is being developed, acknowledging the importance of roads to the economy.
The national road network is about 16 750 km long.
National Treasury granted approval for the allocation of R3 billion for Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) road construction, which will include labour-intensive road construction and maintenance in the 2007/08 and the MTEF periods.
Projects in the pipeline include expanding provincial transport departments’ initiatives for labour-intensive rural access roads, such as Zibambele and Vuk’uzakhe in KwaZulu-Natal, Gundo Lashu in Limpopo, Siyantela in Mpumalanga and Siyakha in Gauteng.
The three concession contracts, the N3, N4 Platinum Corridor and the N4 Maputo Development Corridor, continue to facilitate improved trade, tourism and intergovernmental relations; thus providing faster, safer and more reliable transport as well as building the economy of South Africa.
The Department of Transport, through Sanral, continues with its Public-Private Partnership concession programme. By mid-2007, it was developing projects such as the N2 Wild Coast Toll Highway between Durban and East London. The Wild Coast was identified as one of the areas for strategic development in accordance with government’s Spatial Development Initiative.
This will not only give access to the untapped potential of the Pondoland but, in doing so, address the inequality, namely lack of access, that has led to this being the most impoverished region of South Africa.
The Sani-Pass Road Project at the border of South Africa and Lesotho brings in regional cooperation and integration as articulated in the SADC Protocol on Transport, Telecommunications and Meteorology. The total cost of this project is R160 million. On the South African side, this initiative will extend as far as Pietermaritzburg, which has the potential to provide a variety of economic services to Lesotho.
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Provincial roads
Provincial governments are responsible for planning, constructing and maintaining roads and bridges, except those falling under Sanral or local governments. The Department of Transport assists provincial and local governments to improve and develop the state of their roads.
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Municipal roads
The construction and maintenance of most roads and streets within the municipal boundaries of cities and towns are the responsibility of the municipality concerned.
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Toll roads
Toll roads cover some 2 400 km and are serviced by 53 toll plazas. The viability of every toll road is determined over a 30-year period to assess private-sector funding.
The performance of all toll roads is within what was forecast, and in many cases roads perform better than forecast. It is envisaged that all new major toll-road projects will be financed through the Build, Operate and Transfer principle. This allows greater private-sector involvement in the financing, building, operation and maintenance of toll projects. When the concession period expires, the facility is transferred back to the State at no cost.
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Public transport
In terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, legislative and executive powers in respect of public transport are a provincial competency. National government, however, is responsible for policy-formulation, monitoring and strategic implementation. The Department of Transport continues to administer subsidies for buses and other subsidised forms of public transport.
According to the National Household Travel Survey [PDF], there were about 3,9 million public-transport commuters in mid-2003. The 2,5 million taxi commuters accounted for over 63% of public-transport work trips. Bus services accounted for another 22% of public-transport commuters and the rest were carried to work by train. In addition to the 2,5 million commuters who used minibus taxis as the main mode of travel, there were another 325 000 commuters who used taxis either as a feeder mode to other public-transport services, or as a distribution service from the main mode to their places of work.
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National Transport Register
The National Land Transport Transition Act, 2000 (Act 22 of 2000) [PDF] prescribed the establishment of the National Transport Register.
The purpose of this register is to integrate the land-transport systems, i.e. the Subsidy Management System (SUMS), the Land-Transport Permit System (LTPS) and the Registration Administration System (RAS).
The LTPS facilitates the issuing of public road-carrier permits, regulating entry into the road-carrier markets.
The objective is to facilitate the processing of permit applications and to enable local road-transportation boards (provincial permit boards) to provide an efficient service to the industry. In achieving this goal, the LTPS supports the boards in:
- registering applications
- generating and verifying advertisements
- capturing objections and appeals
- generating agendas
- verifying vehicle information
- generating permits and permit transfers.
The RAS facilitates the registration of minibus-taxi
associations with the Provincial Registrar to
formalise the industry. They support the registrar
with:
- registering members and associations
- registering vehicle particulars of members
- registering corridor particulars of associations
- management reporting.
The SUMS manages claims from provincial
departments and payments thereof for bus
contracts.
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Urban transport
Metropolitan transport advisory boards govern urban areas, which have been declared metropolitan transport areas. Both short- and long-term programmes for adequate transportation development are drawn up by the core city of each area and are revised and adjusted annually.
Nine such core areas exist, namely Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Port Elizabeth, the East Rand, Bloemfontein and East London.
The planning of transport for metropolitan and major urban areas must be done in accordance with a growth-management plan, and travel modes should not compete with one another.
In urban areas, passenger road-transport services are provided by local governments, private bus companies which operate scheduled bus services between peripheral areas and city centres, and minibus taxis. The Department of Transport supports provincial departments of transport and of public works in constructing intermodal facilities and in their efforts to achieve integration between bus and taxi operations.
The minibus-taxi industry has shown phenomenal growth during the last few years, leading to a decrease in the market share of buses and trains as modes of transport.
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Motor vehicles
The number of registered vehicles increased by 573 715 (7,20%) from 8 544 902 at the end of December 2006.
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Taxi Recapitalisation Programme (TRP)
Government’s TRP is underpinned by a strong desire to have an integrated public transport system.
The main objectives are to have a taxi industry that supports a strong economy, that puts the passenger first and that meets the country’s socioeconomic objectives.
Government recognises the critical role played by the industry, and endeavours to ensure its growth and sustainability. The TRP is not only about scrapping old taxi vehicles, but also about the sustainability and effective regulation of the industry. It is a direct response to the recommendations of the National Taxi Task Team, to consider specific interventions to turn around the taxi industry.
Compliance with the necessary basic requirements include possession of legitimate documentation and securing the appropriate type of vehicles, specifically new taxi vehicles that comply with safety specifications.
The TRP is part of government’s broad integrated public transport network system, which is aimed at forming part of the larger public transport feeder systems. By mid-2007, about 80 000 operating licences had been issued nationally. About 50 000 were upgraded by operators.
Nationally, more than 11 000 old and unroadworthy vehicles had been removed from the roads and over R600 million paid out as scrapping allowances.
Law enforcement is also one of the key pillars of implementing the TRP, and R2,2 billion has been set aside for this purpose. By mid-2007, the RTMC was developing a TRP law-enforcement strategy, which would include the recruitment and training of staff for law-enforcement activities within the taxi industry.
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Bus transport
BRT systems provide an exciting and innovative mechanism for implementing high-quality public transport networks that operate on exclusive right of way and incorporate current bus and minibus operators with no source of income or jobs.
The department has been engaging the metropolitan cities and related provinces in this regard. By mid-2007, phase one of the BRT scoping plans had been completed or were under way in the Johannesburg, Tshwane, Cape Town and Nelson Mandela metros. The bus subsidy will be extended to an integrated road-based public transport subsidy framework, which will also benefit the taxi industry, albeit only in a regulated environment.
Progress has been made in the preparatory work for implementing road-based public transport contracts with the publication of the model tender and contract documents in 2006. In this regard, public transport services were already being designed based on existing transport plans in provinces.
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Cross-border transport
Multilateral
The SADC Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology provides a comprehensive framework for regional integration across the entire spectrum of the transport, communications and meteorology sectors. The general objective is to promote the provision of efficient, cost-effective and fully integrated infrastructure and operations in these fields.
The protocol also specifically addresses road transport, and aims to facilitate the unimpeded flow of goods and passengers between and across the territories of SADC member states.
It aims to promote the adoption of a harmonised policy, which lays down general operational conditions for carriers.
Cross-border transport within the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) is undertaken in terms of the Sacu Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which facilitates transport between member countries through the use of the single-permit system.
The MoU provides the framework for cooperation between the signatory countries, which has resulted in the establishment of technical working groups for traffic standards, road-user charges and passenger transport.
The activities of the passenger-transport working group has led to the establishment of joint route-management committees for certain cross-border passenger routes within the Sacu. These committees comprise representatives from the public and private sectors of the countries concerned, and are aimed at jointly managing the routes in consultation with all stakeholders.
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Bilateral
Bilateral agreements facilitate and encourage cross-border road transport in support of regional trade.
The Maputo Development Corridor between South Africa and Mozambique is a good example.
The two governments also signed agreements dealing with road freight and passenger transport between the two countries, to facilitate the movement of goods and people by road, and to eliminate bureaucratic proceedings at border posts.
The project also includes the upgrading and modernisation of the railway line between the two countries and of Maputo harbour, at a cost of about R150 million.
On 29 September 2003, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana signed a MoU on the development and management of the Trans-Kalahari Corridor (TKC).
The TKC was formally established in 1998 following the completion of the Trans-Kgalagadi Highway in Botswana. The TKC links the three southern African countries by road.
One of the benefits of the TKC is that it links the hinterlands of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa (especially Gauteng) with the Port of Walvis Bay. This port is the western seaboard port in southern Africa and is closest to shipping routes to and from markets in the Americas and Europe.
The development of the TKC has the potential of significantly reducing transaction costs for SADC exporters and importers. This is expected to enable economic operators to become increasingly competitive internationally by enhancing their ability to exploit the benefits of preferential trade agreements with the United States of America (USA) and the European Union.
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Freight transport
In South Africa alone, road transport accounts for the movement of some 650 million tons (Mt) of freight traffic per year, compared with about 180 Mt by rail. The National Freight Logistics Strategy, launched in 2005, aims to:
- regulate the freight system to ensure economic efficiency
- exercise effective oversight of the environmental and security elements of the freight system
- promote better physical and operational integration of seaports, airports and land-transport networks.
The implementation of this strategy is expected to have a positive impact on the efficiency of freight movement. The Department of Transport will continue to focus on the Durban-Gauteng Corridor and its development projects, and will later focus on the Cape Town-Beit-Bridge Corridor.
By mid-2007, plans were under way in KwaZulu-Natal to develop the Dube Tradeport and an airport at La Mercy, in line with the eThekwini Freight Plan, to unlock the streamlining of goods transportation in and through Durban. The main projects will include rehabilitating the Nkwalini rail line, implementing the Harrismith Trade Hub project, establishing a transport logistics centre as a repository of central logistics, and developing a freight master plan for the country. Emphasis will be placed on empowering local people.
By mid-2007, the Department of Transport, in close co-operation with the provincial road-traffic authorities, had developed and was implementing the National Overload Control Strategy (NOCS) to protect the road infrastructure, to improve road safety and to ensure seamless movement of cargo. More than R20 million has been set aside to implement this strategy, which is also in line with the Road Safety Strategy, the Infrastructure Strategic Framework for Roads and the Freight Logistics Strategy.
The main focus is to improve weighbridge infrastructure, which involves the development and upgrading of overload-control infrastructure in strategic locations across South Africa’s road network.
Through the National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act 93 of 1996) [PDF], the department was investigating ways of extending the liability for overloading beyond operators, and ensuring that cargo consignors and consignees take ownership and face the full might of the law. It has also revised the 5% tolerance of the gross vehicle mass to 2%, in line with the recommendations of a weighbridge survey that was conducted during the development of the NOCS.
Inroads are being made in the insurance industry to brand overloaders as high-risk and charging them steep insurance premiums in an effort to discourage overloading.
Both the departments of transport and of justice are also upgrading the guidelines for public prosecution to elevate the profile of overloading offences and ensure stiff penalties for offenders.
The department has also developed guidelines in co-operation with the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) as part of promoting self-regulation in the heavy-vehicle industry. This is aimed at fostering a partnership to ensure proper load management, vehicle roadworthiness and driver fitness.
By mid-2007, guidelines were in place for the training of law-enforcement officers to ensure that they are adequately qualified and trained to execute overload control effectively. This includes improving training material at traffic colleges and upgrading operational manuals for overload control.
The department was conducting research on various options of introducing portable weighing equipment to continuously improve this technology and offer desired accuracies, not only for heavy-vehicle screening but also for prosecution purposes.
A new administrative fee is expected to be introduced over and above traffic fines for damage caused on the roads. The intention is to strike a balance between the amount of damage that heavy vehicles inflict on the road network and the fines imposed on overloading offenders.
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Road-traffic safety
The RTMC Act, 1999 (Act 20 of 1999) [PDF], provides for the establishment of the RTMC to:
- enhance the overall quality of road-traffic management and service provision
- strengthen co-operation and co-ordination between the national, provincial and local spheres of government in the management of road traffic
- maximise the effectiveness of provincial and local government efforts, particularly in road-traffic law enforcement
- create business opportunities, particularly for the historically disadvantaged sectors, to supplement public-sector capacity
- guide and sustain the expansion of private-sector investment in road-traffic management.
The RMTC is a partnership between the three spheres of government to strengthen its collective capacity for road-traffic management. The process for adjudicating road-traffic offences has been reformed and is now administrative, rather than judicial.
The Constitution authorises provinces to exercise legislative and executive powers pertaining to road-traffic safety, while the promotion thereof is primarily the responsibility of the Department of Transport.
The Road Traffic Safety Board (RTSB) endorses and acts as guardian of the Road Traffic Management Strategy (RTMS); assists in identifying, formulating and prioritising projects; monitors progress; and gives direction in the implementation of the RTMS.
The RTSB comprises members of national, provincial and local government and traffic stakeholders in the private sector. The ministers of education, of health, of justice and constitutional development, of provincial and local government, of safety and security and of transport serve on the board.
Three Acts provide for the national coordination of regulation and law enforcement, the registration and licensing of motor vehicles, and the training and appointment of traffic officers. These are the RTMC Act, 1999, the National Road Traffic Amendment Act, 1999 (Act 21 of 1999) [PDF]; and the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Amendment Act, 1999 (Act 22 of 1999) [PDF].
The Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Amendment Act, 1999 provides for a more efficient system of collecting traffic fines and introducing the points-demerit system, linked to credit-card format driver’s licences.
In terms of the Act, motorists’ driver’s licences will be suspended when they have 12 penalty points against their names. For every point over and above 12, the motorist’s licence will be suspended for three months.
Points can easily be accumulated, for example, four penalty points each are given for exceeding the speed limit by 50%, driving an unregistered vehicle, refusing to undergo a blood or breathalyser test, or driving a vehicle without registration plates. The use of hand-held cellphones in vehicles is not allowed and non-compliance could cost a motorist two points.
When a driver’s licence is suspended for a third time, it will be cancelled and the motorist will have to undergo a driver’s test again. In more serious cases, a court may forbid a motorist to drive on a public road ever again. However, the system in no way detracts from the accused’s constitutional right to a fair trial. The points-demerit system is to be implemented in phases.
In 2006, the department approved the new Road Safety Strategy. Central to this is the enhanced role of the RTMC. Traffic law-enforcement officers play a key role in encouraging improved road-user behaviour.
The finalisation of the National Road Traffic Law Enforcement Code and subsequent agreements in respect of key performance indicators and service-level agreements between the RTMC and road traffic authorities will ensure that authorities are capacitated, empowered and supported in the planning, execution and reviewing of their road-traffic strategies, programmes and campaigns.
The training and development of all traffic officials also remains one of the RTMC’s highest priorities.
The RTMC aims to establish a national training academy and integrated management model. Current traffic training colleges will be integrated, aligned and co-ordinated to ensure standardised training facilities, material and standards.
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Arrive Alive
Government’s Arrive Alive Road-Safety Campaign aims to:
- reduce the number of road-traffic accidents in general, and fatalities in particular, by 5%, compared with the same period the previous year
- improve road-user compliance with traffic laws
- forge an improved working relationship between traffic authorities in the various spheres of government.
South Africa’s pedestrian fatality rate is unacceptably high. Factors that have exaggerated the problem in South Africa include lack of infrastructure such as adequate pavements or road-crossing facilities; lack of education in road usage; a traffic mix with vehicles and pedestrians sharing the road; poor town and transport planning of facilities such as those around schools and community halls; and an absence of law enforcement.
In October 2007, Minister Radebe launched the Grand-Pa Safer Taxis Campaign in Johannesburg. The campaign, in association with Arrive Alive, is a road-safety initiative aimed at making taxis safer for thousands of commuters who use them daily.
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Road Accident Fund (RAF)
The Road Accident Fund (RAF) is a public entity that compensates victims of motor-vehicle accidents for bodily injuries and/or loss of financial support caused by the death of a breadwinner. The rights for compensation are prescribed by the RAF Act, 1996 (Act 56 of 1996).
The RAF derives its income from a tax levied on petrol and diesel sold in South Africa.
The RAF pays out numerous claims each year due to accidents caused by recklessness; inconsiderate, negligent and aggressive driver behaviour; as well as drunken driving. In 2006/07, 170 418 new claims were lodged, some 260 903 claims were finalised, and 341 146 were outstanding.
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Legislation
The RTMC’s effectiveness will have a positive impact on the RAF in that fewer claims will result in reduced accidents on the roads. In 2007, the RAF implemented a new business model that will improve information collection and management, ensure proactive claims origination, risk management and fraud management.
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Rail transport
Construction of the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link commenced in September 2006. The project will comprise an 80-kilometre route and 10 new stations. The route between the OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton is expected to be completed in time for the 2010 World Cup.
By mid-2007, utilities such as water pipes, electricity and telecommunications cables, had been removed in most areas and nearly 70% of affected properties along the proposed route had been handed over.
The train and bus depots in Midrand were under construction to stable and service Gautrain’s 24 train sets and to station 150 commuter buses.
About R8,8 billion had been expended on the project and the private sector had spent more than R3 billion.
In South Africa, rail has for a long time carried fewer tons of total-surface transport volumes, compared with road volumes. As a result, the Department of Transport began a process of reversing the shift from road to rail, particularly of cargoes that should ideally be transported by rail.
By mid-2007, the department was implementing the National Freight Logistics Strategy that seeks, among other things, to integrate the first and second economies, and support the integration of marginalised local economies with the main logistics corridors.
The key objective of the strategy is to reduce the costs of doing business by removing inefficiencies and reducing the impediments that the logistics system has placed on businesses and their long-term sustainability.
The growth of the road-freight sector can be ascribed to the inability of rail operations to respond to new production methodologies and techniques, or offer predictable and efficient services. Some of the rail customers are prepared to pay for a reliable and fast door-to-door service provided by road freight, which has provided a viable alternative.
The National Freight Logistics Strategy will ensure a significant increase in the traffic, volumes and nature of rail-freight cargo, particularly with huge improvements to the rail infrastructure and rolling stock emanating from huge investments by government and state enterprises.
In terms of the Gautrain, the Consolidated Regional Rail Plan has been approved which, among other things:
- focuses on priority corridors where rail operates at its strength
- sets out the regional rail plans and business plans in areas where Metrorail operates
- quantifies the actual needs for each corridor, while at the same time giving an indication of the investment and improvements required.
The Department of Transport embarked on a comprehensive recapitalisation programme to improve rail safety and revive rail transport as a viable public-transport alternative.
By mid-2007, the department had been implementing the National Rail Passenger Plan, which charts the way for the future of passenger-rail services in South Africa.
The following different options have been proposed:
- full recovery, where the whole rail network would be restored
- limited system, where all but efficient lines/routes would be closed
- priority rail corridors, where the socio-economic planning objectives would be balanced on existing rail strengths.
The National Railway Safety Regulator Act, 2002 (Act 16 of 2002) [PDF], is the enabling legislation for the setting up of the independent Railway Safety Regulator, reporting and accountable to the Minister of Transport.
The regulator also oversees safety by conducting audits and inspections; undertaking occurrence investigations; analysing occurrence statistics, operator-safety plans and accident reports; and issuing notices to operators to cease an activity or to improve an unsafe activity. Failure to respond to a notice could result in the operator, including the top management and even the board, being prosecuted.
Since the re-introduction of the railway police, there has been a significant drop in crime on trains and train stations. Crime was reduced by 38% in the financial year ending 31 March 2007. By mid2007, the SAPS had trained and deployed in excess of 1 500 constables, with 250 deployed in the eThekwini region.
In 2006/07, the Railway Police made 28 000 arrests, of which 9 000 were for serious crimes. The main target remains the deployment of 5 000 members by 2010.
The development of industrial and local standards, which will cover certain geographical locations and circumstances, is expected to be completed in 2008.
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Transnet Freight Rail
The primary purpose of Transnet Freight Rail is the transportation of rail freight. Core freight activities account for about 95% of its revenues.
Transnet Freight Rail continues to operate the long-distance passenger service, Shosholoza Meyl, and the luxury Blue Train. By April 2007, consultations for the consolidation of all passenger services in a state-owned enterprise, independent of Transnet, were under way.
The migration is expected to be implemented in 2008. Concessioning opportunities were being sought for the Blue Train. Divestment of these passenger assets will enable Transnet Freight Rail to focus on its core business of freight operations.
It has a 20 247-km rail network, of which about 1 500 km comprises heavy-haul lines. The network connects the ports and hinterland of South Africa and the rail networks of the sub-Saharan region. Its infrastructure represents about 80% of Africa’s rail infrastructure.
Transnet Freight Rail operates freight trains serving customers in the following major segments:
- mining: coal, iron ore, manganese, granite, asbestos, chrome and non-ferrous metals
- manufacturing: chemicals, fuel and petroleum, fertiliser, cement, lime, iron steel and scrap
- agriculture and forestry: grain, stockfeed and milling, timber, paper and publishing, and fast-moving consumer goods
- containers and automotive: intermodal wholesale, automotive and industrial.
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South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC)-Metrorail
The SARCC-Metrorail provides commuter rail services in South Africa. The first phase of the consolidation of all passenger rail entities in South Africa has been concluded by Metrorail’s transferral from Transnet to the SARCC-Metrorail with effect from 1 May 2006. The second phase will see Shosholoza Meyl transferred to the Department of Transport.
In the long term, this change will lead to better provision of passenger services in South Africa.
The SARCC operates the Rail Commuter Services through its operator, Metrorail.
Rail Commuter Services is operated as a social-responsibility programme requiring considerable government subsidisation. The assets that were transferred to the SARCC-Metrorail included property with a net potential worth billions in the main metropolitan areas.
The corporation’s role as concessionaire is to establish and monitor service standards, safety and security levels, and operating efficiencies. Up to 1,7 million people use the commuter rail service daily.
The SARCC-Metrorail infrastructure and assets comprise 478 stations, some 2 240 km of electrified single-rail track and 4 564 coaches.
Investment for passenger rail has been more than doubling since 1994, to over R16 billion in 2007. The long-term plan for the upgrading of flagship stations such as Park and Durban stations is expected to attract more passengers to trains.
The SARCC-Metrorail works closely with metros and other municipalities to ensure that rail services support integrated transport plans developed by local government. The introduction by the SARCC-Metrorail of the express services within the current rail environment is intended to create a culture of using public transport among all South Africans.
The express service will also be deployed effectively as part of the transport operation plans for both the Confederations Cup in 2009 and the 2010 World Cup.
The SARCC-Metrorail is expected to construct a station next to the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, and also one next to the new Orlando Stadium in Soweto, as part of World Cup preparations.
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Intersite
Intersite Property Solutions (Pty) Limited manages, builds, upgrades and maintains commuter rail stations and properties to generate income for commuter rail. Intersite is a wholly owned subsidiary of SARCC-Metrorail.
The commuter rail portfolio comprises 478 stations, 4 200 hectares (ha) of land, and property in the major metropolitan areas of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London and Cape Town. Since 1992, Intersite has completed a number of station upgrades at a cost of R565,8 million, while a further R205,7 million has been invested in the former Metrorail operational assets. Several new stations and intermodal transport facilities were also completed, totalling some R106,6 million.
The SARCC-Metrorail is implementing an active programme to improve the state of commuter rail rolling stock.
This is accomplished by increasing the number of coaches in the refurbishment process and improving repair standards. The new standard includes the upgrade of a modular body train set that shares the same aesthetics as the 10M3 and 10M4 coaches currently running in the Johannesburg and Cape Town regions.
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Civil aviation
By October 2007, there were 10 067 aircraft in South Africa. Air travel in South Africa has grown above 10% per year over the past three years, largely due to the proliferation of low-cost airlines following the deregulation of the industry in the early 1990s and the increased volume of international traffic flowing into the country. In 1993, fewer than 12 international airlines flew to South Africa. However, this number increased to 20 by 1995 and by mid-2007, more than 70 international airlines were flying into the country regularly.
In terms of passenger growth, between 1994 and 2000, the rate of domestic growth was pinned at 7,5%, compared with the global rate of 3%.
Similarly, while global international traffic grew at an average of 7% during this period, South Africa experienced an international passenger growth rate of about 8,5%, and 2007 figures for passenger growth surpassed the 10% mark per year.
Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) handles about 16,8 million departing passengers annually and was experiencing an annual growth of 10,8% in 2007. Smaller airports such as Port Elizabeth, Kimberley and Bloemfontein grew by about 10,4%, reaching total passenger volumes of 1,4 million passengers. The current consolidated terminal capacity for smaller airports is two million passengers.
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Airlift Strategy
The Department of Transport has developed a five-year Airlift Strategy, which was approved by Cabinet in July 2006, to introduce effectively structured regulatory measures for increasing tourism growth for South Africa.
In particular, this strategy is based on aviation policy directives and contributes to the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) by:
- aligning with the Tourism Growth Strategy and industry
- prioritising tourism and trade markets
- unblocking obstacles to growth through regulatory mechanisms, and bilateral and multilateral air-services negotiations.
In particular, the strategy supports the millennium development goals and the objectives of Nepad to increase African connectivity and access through the accelerated implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision.
The overall objective of the Airlift Strategy is to increase aviation’s contribution towards sustainable economic growth and job creation. This requires the creation and maintenance of an enabling framework within which both suppliers and consumers of air transport services may exercise reasonable flexibility and choice.
In particular, the strategy will enhance the prospects of South Africa as a preferred air-travel destination and synchronise the basis for bilateral air-services negotiations with other priorities.
It also provides specific guidelines for various unique markets with emphasis on the needs of intra-African air services, and aims to improve the regulation of particularly the supply-side of air transport services.
The department also developed the Airlift Implementation Plan, which provides a clear framework and capacity targets to be met. The Airlift Strategy is expected to promote the provision of adequate air-service capacity and infrastructure to cater for the projected growth in air movements within South Africa, and between South Africa and its key international partners.
The entry of new foreign carriers including Delta, Thai Airways and Virgin Nigeria buoyed international passenger arrivals. In line with the anticipated demand and large volume of passengers, which the A380 Airbus carries, Acsa has already developed five A380 parking bays located on the Echo Apron at OR Tambo International Airport.
The demand in international traffic is set to continue at South African airports, with the Department of Transport actively engaged in dialogue with Canada, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and a number of other key countries identified by the Airlift Strategy and the implementation plan.
The implementation of the department’s strategy is expected to yield a significant increase in the number of passengers moving through Acsa’s network of airports.
Efficient airports and effective airspace management are also critical to the future development of air transport. By mid-2007, three projects aimed at addressing air-transport infrastructure were under way, namely: the Air Freight Logistics Project, the creation of a national airports development plan and a project aimed at the possible establishment of an independent slot co-ordinator for South Africa.
The principle of fair and equal opportunity enshrined in bilateral air-service agreements will be applied in the case of slot-constrained airports, to achieve maximum economic benefits in a pro-competitive environment.
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Airports
Acsa owns and operates South Africa’s 10 principal airports, including the three major international airports in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.
Acsa also has a 35-year concession to operate the Pilanesberg Airport near Sun City in North West. The other six airports are Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Kimberley, Upington and Pilanesberg.
Acsa’s three core activities are:
- airport services, including the development of airport infrastructure such as providing and maintaining runways, taxiways and aprons; terminal facilities; and aviation security, fire and rescue services
- retail and advertising activities, including the provision of space within terminals to appropriate retailers; other sites to operations such as car-hire firms and banks; and space for advertisers
- property activities, including the provision of retail and office premises, and car-parking facilities, as well as functioning as commercial landlords.
In 2007, Acsa processed a total of 33 million departing and arriving passengers and 236 000 aircraft landings from nearly 50 international destinations. Its infrastructure upgrading has been boosted by R19,3 billion for the next three years as part of expanding airport capacity ahead of the 2010 World Cup.
By January 2007, Acsa had begun its five-year investment programme in all major airports in the country. With passenger traffic estimated to be in excess of 45 million passengers a year by 2012, Acsa will be investing in infrastructure developments. This investment is also meant for the new airport at La Mercy, as part of the Dube Tradeport in Durban.
About R5,2 billion will be spent to accommodate the 2010 World Cup. Some R492 million was spent on the Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban international airports, and R46 million was invested in the Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Upington and Pilanesberg national airports.
In July 2007, the Bhisho Airport in the Eastern Cape underwent a R100-million upgrade.
The upgrade, funded through the province’s Department of Roads and Transport, was expected to be complete by March 2008.
The project provided more than 100 jobs for people from surrounding villages and derives from the Blue Skyway Aviation Strategy, which was unveiled by the provincial transport department in 2006, in an effort to maximise the potential of the Bhisho and Mthatha airports, and bring new life to the rural airstrips in the province.
The SAPS Air Wing was expected to relocate to the Bhisho Airport, while the Port Alfred-based 43 Air School also planned to expand to the airport.
A new R5-million fire tender was brought in from overseas to increase the emergency capacity of the airport and improve its grades from two to four.
The Bhisho Airport has been earmarked for international flights during the 2010 World Cup.
About 7,9 million international passengers pass through the OR Tambo International Airport each year. In September 2007, Minister Radebe officially opened the R535-million international pier that serves as an extention to the international terminal building.
The increased number of holding lounges, airside commercial areas and boarding gates in the double-level structure ease international travellers into their journeys, with the new expansion to the existing international terminal building also boasting considerably larger departure and arrival areas.
The completion of the pier development has substantially increased the airport’s capacity to handle ever-increasing passenger traffic. Airline operators are now able to significantly improve their turnaround times, improving their efficiency considerably as the majority of passengers will use the connecting stands (air bridges).
Another significant part of phase one is the new international remote-bussing gate. The gate serves departures to remotely parked aircraft and has increased OR Tambo International Airport’s remote-bussing facility from eight gates to 12. This has also significantly increased capacity for departing international passengers.
The new pier is environmentally friendly. It is fitted with energy-efficient light fittings. The long escalators are energy-saving as they only automatically operate on demand.
Four stands of the Echo Apron development can accommodate an A380, the largest commercial aircraft on the market, and are equipped with dual air bridges to load and offload passengers to upper and lower levels of double-deck aircraft at the same time.
The completion of the second and final phase of the project is scheduled for July 2008, when the retail mall extension and new mezzanine lounges will be completed.
By mid-2007, the Cape Town International Airport was constructing the airport’s first multistorey parkade. Acsa’s investment of more than R1,3 billion in infrastructure is on schedule for completion by the end of 2009.
The construction of a second multistorey parkade, which started in mid-2007, was expected to be complete in 2008 at a cost of about R210 million. This will be a five-level parkade with about 4 000 bays.
In January 2007, the drop-and-go road was relocated to a temporary bypass road in order for the site of the new Central Terminal Building (CTB) to be hoarded off and to make way for an elevated road to be built in front of the terminal buildings. The route for domestic car-rental returns was also changed in July 2007, and the international car-rentals area was relocated.
The five-storey CTB will house a common processing area where both international and domestic passengers will be processed, as opposed to two separate terminals. Once passengers pass through the security screening points, international passengers will route to the left to the international departures waiting area and domestic passengers right to the domestic departures waiting area.
The elevated roadway will separate the arrivals and departure levels and is set for completion in July 2008. These developments are expected to significantly enhance the airport’s capacity to process approximately 15 million passengers upon completion.
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Air-Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS)
The Air-Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) is responsible for the efficient running of South Africa’s air-traffic control systems and the maintenance of navigation equipment, including the deployment of air-traffic controllers and aviation technical staff.
The company’s college is a well-established facility that is used by several African countries for air-traffic services training and technical training for equipment support.
The ATNS does not receive government transfers and derives its funding from its operations.
A joint operations centre at the OR Tambo International Airport is the nerve centre of all airport communications and operations. From here, all activities related to maintenance and building management are co-ordinated. The centre serves as a control office, crisis-control centre for emergencies, and an IT centre.
In 2007/08, the ATNS was allocated more than R200 million to renew terrestrial aeronautical navigation systems and replace existing older radar systems in certain areas of South Africa.
The Department of Transport has developed the National Aviation Security Plan, a requirement of the ICAO.
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Airlines
Eight major domestic airlines operate in the country, as well as a number of smaller charter airline companies.
South African Airways (SAA), British Airways (BA)/Comair, SA Express, SA Airlink and Interair operate scheduled air services within South Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. In addition to serving Africa, SAA operates services to Europe, Latin America and the Far East.
Scheduled international air services are also provided by Air Afrique, Air Austral, Air Botswana, Air France, Air Gabon, Air Madagascar, Air Malawi, Air Mauritius, Air Namibia, Air Portugal, Air Seychelles, Air Tanzania, Air Zimbabwe, Airlink Swaziland, Alliance Express, BA, Cameroon Airlines, Delta Airlines, El Al, Egyptair, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Ghana Airways, Iberia, KLM, Kenya Airways, LAM Mozambique Airlines, LTU International Airways, Lufthansa, MK Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Martinair Holland, Northwest Airlines, Olympic Airways, Qantas, Royal Air Maroc, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Swissair, Taag, Thai International,Turkish Airlines, Uganda Airlines, United Airline, Varig, Virgin Atlantic, Yemenia, Zambian Air Services and Zambian Skyways.
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South African Airways
SAA is by far the largest air carrier in Africa, with the OR Tambo International Airport being the busiest airport in Africa. Nearly 75% of air-traffic activity in Africa takes place in the region.
Following on 2006’s success at the World Travel Awards, SAA scooped yet another cluster of prestigious accolades in 2007.
In voting conducted worldwide by the World Travel Awards, travel-industry professionals once again voted in favour of SAA, enabling it to clinch top honours such as Africa’s Leading Airline, Africa’s Leading First-Class Airline, Africa’s Leading Business Class Airline and Africa’s Leading Airline Website.
The World Travel Awards are the benchmark for excellence in the travel and hospitality industry. Held annually, the awards are determined solely by survey results, making it the most respected survey of its kind for each continent.
SAA is further enhancing its extensive route network and product offering in Africa with a host of improvements, including new routes, added capacity, larger aircraft and more lounge facilities.
Routes in Africa contribute about 16% towards company revenue, and in 2006, SAA’s flights to Africa averaged about 70% in terms of load factors.
SAA carried over a million passengers across the continent in 2006, representing a 7% increase over 2005. SAA will add capacity to 11 of its 19 African destinations, namely Entebbe, Nairobi, Dar Es Salaam, Mauritius, Blantyre, Lilongwe, Gaborone, Windhoek, Luanda, Kinshasa, Libreville and Abidjan.
Key among these will be the Luanda route, where SAA will add one additional flight per week to increase the number of seats by 12%.
The current seven return flights per week to Nairobi (1 902 seats) will increase to 10 (2 622 seats). The seven flights per week to Mauritius (2 384 seats) will be increased to eight per week (2 512 seats), which will include two flights on Saturday with connections to and from Europe.
The airline will also re-align its New York flights, operating four flights via Accra, with three flights remaining via Dakar. Departing times have been adapted for improved connections. SAA will fly to Entebbe four times a week, using a larger aircraft, a Boeing 737, to increase the number of seats by 15%; to Dar Es Salaam four times per week to increase seats by 18%; to Blantyre (31% more seats) and Lilongwe (12% more seats) both twice per week. The larger Boeing 737 aircraft will also be used to fly to both Windhoek and Kinshasa twice per week to provide 6% more seats (Windhoek) and 15% more seats (Kinshasa).
The lounge facilities in Africa are being upgraded. The improvements on the African network come on the back of the successful launch of the Munich route in July 2007.
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Aviation safety and security
South Africa complies with the ICAO-recommended practices on aviation security.
SAA participated in the Operation Safety Audit Programme for the first time in 2005/06 and became the first southern African airline to successfully complete its safety audit.
South Africa is also participating in the development and establishment of an upper airspace control centre for the SADC. This initiative proposes that a single centre, hosted by an SADC country, will provide air-navigation services to all aircraft flying above 24 500 feet.
Emphasis is being placed on improved international access to and from South Africa by air, the expansion of the bilateral air-services framework, effective monitoring of airline activities, and the efficient licensing and regulation of domestic and international air services. Other aims include promoting:
- safer skies: this involves ensuring that adequate safety and upper-airspace-control regimes are in place across the continent, supported by efficient air-traffic and navigational services and systematic human-resource (HR) development programmes
- efficient and effective aviation networks: this involves regulation to make air transport more affordable, creating regional hubs and air-carrier alliances, and supporting one another to establish a high-quality African airports network.
South African aviation accident and incident statistics for 1996 to 2006 reflect an average of 150 accidents and an average of 31 fatalities.
Between January and September 2007, there were 114 aircraft accidents which claimed 25 lives. Human error caused 80% of accidents and mechanical problems the rest.
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Ports
Commercial ports play a crucial role in South Africa’s transport, logistics and socio-economic development. About 98% of South Africa’s exports are conveyed by sea.
In April 2007, Minister Radebe appointed board members to the National Ports Regulator. The regulator was established in terms of the National Ports Act, 2005 (Act 12 of 2005) [PDF].
Its primary function is the economic regulation of the ports system, in line with government’s strategic objectives to promote equity of access to ports and to monitor the activities of the TNPA. The regulator also promotes regulated competition, hears appeals and complaints, and investigates such complaints.
The TNPA is the largest port authority on the continent. It owns and manages South Africa’s ports at Richards Bay, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay, Cape Town, Saldanha and Ngqura.
The TNPA provides suitable infrastructure as a conduit for the country’s imports and exports. As port landlord, it is responsible for:
- developing and managing port properties
- developing, advising and implementing national port policies
- providing and maintaining port infrastructure (i.e. breakwaters, seawalls, channels, basins, quay walls and jetties), and the sustainability of ports and their environments
- co-ordinating marketing and promotional activities for each port.
The TNPA also has a control function, which includes:
- providing vessel-traffic control and navigational aids
- licensing and leasing terminals to operators
- monitoring the performance of port operators
- ensuring the orderly, efficient and reliable transfer of cargo and passengers between sea and land.
Based on the National Commercial Ports Policy, the vision for South African ports is to become a system of ports, seamlessly integrated in the logistics network, that is jointly and individually self-sustainable.
This will be achieved through the delivery of high levels of service and increasing efficiency for a growing customer base. It will result in the enhancement of South Africa’s global competitiveness and facilitate the expansion of the economy through socially and environmentally sustainable port development. The TNPA business consists of the following divisions:
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Trade and Logistics
This division is the strategic business arm of the TNPA. It is responsible for customer-relationship marketing, in combination with technology and HR.
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Landlord Services
Landlord Services ensures the planning, development and optimal use of port property and infrastructure, as well as a safe, secure and healthy port environment.
The division consists of property, engineering, and planning and development. Landlord Services has traditionally been the TNPA’s major revenue earner, initially through wharfage, and currently through cargo dues.
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Maritime Services
Maritime Services includes improving efficiency in shipping services, dredging navigational waterways, and ensuring a safe shipping environment through vessel-tracing services, pilotage and lighthouse services.
The ports provide:
- pilotage, tug and berthing services
- bulk-handling installations to handle dry and liquid bulk, complemented by storage facilities
- container-handling facilities
- multipurpose terminals for the handling of breakbulk and containers
- access to rail and road links
- ship-repair facilities
- feeder services.
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Lighthouse Services
Lighthouse Services operates 45 lighthouses along the South African coastline.
The TNPA has vessel-traffic systems in all ports, ensuring improved safety of navigation within the port and port limits, and enhancing the service provided to the port user.
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Marine Services
Marine Services operates 24 large tugs, eight work boats, four pilot boats and 14 launches in South Africa’s commercial ports. Twenty-four-hour services are provided at the ports of Durban and Richards Bay.
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Portcon International
This division provides a consultancy and training service appropriate to ports operating within the African context.
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Port and Corporate Affairs
This division is responsible for the efficient and profitable running of the ports as service-delivery platforms.
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Deepwater ports
The Port of Richards Bay is South Africa’s leading port in terms of cargo volumes, handling in excess of 80 Mt of cargo annually.
By June 2007, the port was handling more than 1,7 billion tons (Bt) of cargo, of which coal represented 1,3 Bt. The port covers a surface area of 2 174 ha on land and 1 443 ha on water, making it the biggest port in South Africa in terms of size. It also offers easy access to South Africa’s national rail network.
One of the port’s inherent strengths is its deepwater infrastructure, with a maximum permissible draught of 17,5 m. This, coupled with the high-tech state-of-the-art terminal infrastructures, allows for high-speed, high-volume cargo handling and a fast turnaround of vessels.
The facilities at Richards Bay’s Port comprise a dry-bulk terminal, a multipurpose terminal and the privately operated coal terminal. Other private operators within the port include several wood-chip export terminals and a bulk liquid terminal.
Saldanha Port, situated on the West Coast, is the deepest and the largest natural port in southern Africa. The port is unique in that it has a purpose-built railroad serving a bulk-handling facility, which is connected to a dedicated jetty for the shipment of iron ore. Saldanha also serves as a major crude-oil importation and transhipment port. It is the only iron ore-handling port in South Africa.
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Hub ports
The Port of Durban is a full-service general cargo and container port. It is the most conveniently situated port for the industrialised Durban/Pinetown and Gauteng areas and cross-border traffic.
The Port of Durban is one of the busiest in southern Africa. It has a surface land area of 1 854 ha. The container terminal is the largest such facility in the southern hemisphere and is geared to expand in terms of cargo handling.
It is especially effective as a hub port for cargo to and from the Far East, Europe and the Americas, serving South Africa, as well as west and east African countries. The port is also the premier port for a wide range of commodities, including coal, mineral ores, granite, chemicals, petrochemicals, steel, forest products, citrus products, sugar and grain.
The Port of Cape Town is the other hub in South Africa. It offers multipurpose dry, and liquid and dry terminals, as well as fully serviced dry docks. The port is renowned for its deciduous fruit and frozen-product exports. A major fishing industry is also based here. The Port of Cape Town is strategically positioned and ideally situated to serve as a hub for cargoes between Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. The port provides a complex network of services to its clients and a favourable environment for all stakeholders, maximising benefits to the local and national economy.
Integrated intermodal cargo systems, ship repair, bunkering facilities and the reefer trade are examples of these services.
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Multipurpose ports
The Port of Port Elizabeth, with its proximity to heavily industrialised and intensively farmed areas, has facilities for the handling of all commodities – bulk, general and container cargo.
Being situated at the centre of the country’s motor-vehicle-manufacturing industry, the port imports large volumes of containerised components and raw material for this industry. The bulk of exports comprises agricultural products. Apart from agricultural produce, manganese ore, motor-vehicle-industry-related products and steel are exported.
The container terminal has maintained the highest handling rates in Africa in recent years and is accredited to International Standards Organisation (ISO) 9002.
Located mid-way between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, the Port of Mossel Bay has in the past specialised in serving the local inshore and deep-sea fishing industry, as well as limited commercial cargo. However, it now serves the oil industry as well as other client-orientated marine cargo.
This port is the only South African port that operates two offshore mooring points within port limits. Both mooring points are used for the transport of refined petroleum products.
The Port of East London is situated at the mouth of the Buffalo River on South Africa’s east coast, and is the country’s only commercial river port.
It boasts a large container terminal and grain elevator, and it is the largest exporter of maize.
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