Transport infrastructure is key to development

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"411574","attributes":{"class":"media-image","id":"1","style":"margin: 3px; float: left;","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]By Minister Dipuo Peters

A key proposal in the National Development Plan is to improve the country’s economic infrastructure such as roads and rail transport to boost growth and create employment.

To achieve this, the government is implementing its Nine-Point Plan to stimulating development in a number of strategic areas such as the transport sector.

Through the plan, which also addresses key constraints in the economy, we are revitalising our transport infrastructure into a world class network that will help move the country forward.

This work has begun to undo the fragmented public transport infrastructure inherited from the past which reinforced apartheid’s spatial planning. Public transport under apartheid was designed to enforce, perpetuate and strengthen the separation of racial groups.

It forced black South Africans into outlying areas and prevented them from accessing economic opportunities in the cities.

Today our transport investments are transforming the way in which we live and interact with each other. For many South Africans, this has meant an improvement in the quality of life and services. Places of work, study and entertainment, have become more accessible.

We are confident our priority interventions will help to grow South Africa’s economy and address unemployment, poverty and inequality.

In this regard, the government has prioritised investment in rail infrastructure, and implemented interventions to make it the backbone of our passenger and freight transport system.

Rail plays an important role in the daily movement of many South Africans with Metrorail carrying more than 2.2 million passengers every day. Our renewal programme for the passenger rail is progressing with the delivery of the first train at the end of last year, which was manufactured in Brazil.

The feasibility study for the construction of a rail factory in Ekurhuleni Gauteng has been approved. The factory will produce 580 coaches and generate approximately 33 000 direct and indirect jobs.

The government has been hard at work building and maintaining the country’s 750 000km road network to facilitate economic growth, local economic development and job creation.

During the past year, a number provincial roads were resurfaced, resealed, gravelled, and bladed, while 227 628m² of potholes were repaired.

As part of invigorating our road infrastructure, we have set aside R1.1 billion to upgrade the Moloto Road, which spans Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

The South African National Roads Agency Limited is advanced in its preparatory work for the upgrade. In future this 160km stretch of road, servicing more than 60 000 commuters a day, will ensure safer travel and better economic links for business.

The government understands that an effective transport system is the heartbeat of our nation and serves as a catalyst for socio-economic development.  

Through our Bus Rapid Transport System we have improved the quality of life by making services, places of work, study and entertainment more accessible.

The BRT system continues to be rolled out across the country. It is successfully operated in Cape Town through MyCiTi carrying 42 522 people a weekday while Rea Vaya in Johannesburg transports an average of 33 670 people a weekday.

In Tshwane, A Re Yeng moves an average of 3 000 people and Go George is moving an average of 7 630 people.

Our public transport infrastructure investments have created employment opportunities and improved economic efficiency.

Dipuo Peters is Minister of Transport.

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