The Program Director,
Pastors Siphiwe and Phindile Mathebula
Senior Leadership of the Church
Church members and visitors,
AmaHope amahle,
Good Morning
At the mention of His name, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. I greet you all in the wonderful name of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. It is a great honour to address you on this blessed “Education Sunday”.
This invitation came at a very opportune and exciting moment for the Department of Transport – as we will be handing over a torch of peace to the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga on Tuesday 17th January as a symbol of insight, illumination and hope across all corners of South Africa, and the world at large.
Equally so, this is the year our national icon and hero of the struggle, uTata OR Tambo would have turned 100 years on the 27th of October, and the ANC led Government has declared it towards the celebration of his centenary.
As South Africa, we are also celebrating the 23rd year of our democratic government. Our government has identified transport as one of our economic pillars and as a major deterrent to the triple scourge of unemployment, inequality and poverty.
The Department, together with its twelve Agencies and two Councils, is primarily involved in industries that are highly specialised in nature and which black people were not exposed to due to minimal education initiated by the apartheid regime. The Agencies referred to are as follows:
- Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) & The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) – which are INFRASTRUCTURE OWNERS;
- Passenger Rail Association of South Africa (PRASA) & Air Traffic Navigation Systems (ATNS) – which are OPERATORS;
- South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), Ports Regulator of South Africa, Cross Border Road Transport Agency (CBRT-A), International Air Licensing Council and Domestic Air Licensing Council – which are ECONOMIC REGULATORS;
- South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) & Rail Safety Regulator (RSR) – which are SAFETY REGULATORS;
- Road Traffic Management Cooperation (RTMC) & Roads Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) – which are LAW ENFORCEMENT; and
- Road Accident Fund (RAF) – our SOCIAL SAFETY NET.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is still a challenge for black people to be equipped with such knowledge as they are seen as non-interesting fields whereas money made by those industries is unbelievably huge.
I will therefore attempt to look at the various sectors and give a brief overview of the opportunities available in those sectors.
Starting with rail
The department together with PRASA and the Department of Public Enterprise is responsible for the provision of efficient and reliable passenger rail and freight services in the Country, whereby massive infrastructure and rolling stock projects are being rolled out.
We will be spending in the region of R51 billion on New Rail Rolling Stock and R4 billion on new Hybrid Locomotives in the next 5-year period.
Just around the corner in Nigel, here in Ekurhuleni we are building a R 1 billion factory to produce 580 trains and create an estimated 65 000 direct and indirect jobs over the ten year contract period. Examples of rehabilitation work that has been identified for possible outsourcing to SMME’s, are as follows:
- Cleaning and maintenance of trains;
- Concrete crossings;
- Fencing where necessary;
- Repairs to buildings and structures;
- Rail and Equipment Maintenance; and
- Maintenance of drains, culverts, and bridges.
Under roads
South African road network is one of the best road infrastructure networks in the SADC region and the entire continent. It includes 750 000km of national roads, provincial roads, district and local roads.
The network is currently carrying the most of passenger movements and short to middle distance freight transport. Proper preservations of these public assets need sufficient funds, with an estimated backlog of R197 billion to maintain.
R6 billion will be spent in thirteen (13) cities including Ekurhuleni and two other Metros in Gauteng to build Integrated Public Transport Networks (IPTNs) and Bus Rapid Transit systems (BRT). The Harambe station outside the church is part of that programme.
R9 billion on S’hamba Sonke Programme to maintain the network and R11 billion on SANRAL’s non-toll roads has also been budgeted.
The Aviation Sector
In line with our National Development Plan, we are embracing the aviation sector as part of the strategic sectors that contribute to economic growth and job creation. There is no doubt that aviation has become the primary means of moving people and high-value freight around the world.
Through the Yammousoukro Decision (YD), we have an objective to lay the solid foundation that will assist in creating the conditions for the emergence of a sustainable and viable African air transport sector. The sector that is designed to meet the integration imperatives of the continent underpinned by enhanced connectivity, intra-African trade and tourism.
Aviation is one of those industries that have not had black participation in business for ages. Hence efforts to promote aviation awareness amongst learners are currently underway.
The report, by independent economic consultants Inter VISTAS, outlines the benefits that would accrue if 12 African Nations were to implement the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision. Amongst the benefits to be generated by the liberalisation between just these 12 key markets will provide an extra 155,000 jobs and USD 1.3 billion in annual GDP
Maritime Transport
South Africa derives its maritime interests from its trade and geo-economic structure, its geopolitical aspirations and the obligations arising from being a regional power located at the southern tip of Africa. South Africa is a maritime country defined by the characteristics of its oceans, heritage, international trade patterns and geography.
Of the economic opportunities that can be leveraged from our 3000 km coastline, the Department has dedicated resources to assist with the finalisation of the Oceans Economy Policy. The ultimate objective of this Policy is to open up the oceans economies and create sustainable employment for millions of Africans.
Some of the opportunities in Maritime are as follows:
- Chandlers - which includes the supply of food and other resources like oil and spares;
- Freight and Forwarding - involving transporting cargo from the receiving place to the place of destination;
- Storage and Warehousing;
- Cargo Transportation; and
- Ship Repair and Maintenance
In our continuous endeavor to transform the industry, we have sent thirteen (13) students to study various transport disciplines in Prague, Czech Republic and twenty (20) to the World Maritime University (WMU).
Conclusion
Key projects such as the roll out of non-motorised infrastructure and the establishment of a local bicycle manufacturing plant will also go a long way in job creation and SMME Development.
The setting up of the Ministry of Small, Medium, Micro Enterprises and Cooperatives is motivated by our intention to revitalise what has the potential of becoming the engine for employment creation.
We made a commitment of procuring 75% of government goods and services from South African producers. Equally important is the commitment of 60% set-aside for youth employment and youth businesses in the infrastructure programme.
Again we encourage our people to register their companies in different databases within all spheres of Government in order to take advantage of the many business opportunities, other than waiting without taking any initiative. They say Uzoyithola kanjani, uhlele khoneni!!
The Department has since established 12 Centres of Excellence with 12 Universities, and to date 654 students registered across the 12 universities with 212 of those having since graduated.
We will continue to support the previously disadvantaged youth to pursue transport related disciplines through the Centres of Development (COD) that constitute these universities and the Transport Research Activity Centre (TRAC). Every year about 40 000 learners benefit from the programme.
The Department’s Fraud Prevention Strategy is premised on the following four (4) conventional pillars, namely, Fraud Prevention, Fraud Detection, Fraud Response and Remediation. The strategy is a critical and integral part of day to day operations to ensure we deal with corruption decisively.
The role of the church
In every part of the world, the church and the state co-exist. To have a healthy society we need a vibrant church that takes its rightful position to stand in the gap on behalf of the Nation and an energetic state that have the best interest of its people.
The catholic church is the oldest living institution known to man bearing testimony to Christ’s promise that He will be with us until the end of time (Matt 28:20).
When the church is deeply rooted in the community and its membership operates as public servants in every facet of life, our societies will be transformed for the better.
May you as the church continue doing that which do best and called upon to do. Pray for our leaders, our country, the whole world and all the challenges facing society, Drugs and alcohol abuse, crime, corruption, unemployment, poverty, inequality, racism, ethnicity and the negative effect of climate change resulting in droughts, floods and wild fires.
The Apostle Paul in 1st Timothy Chapter 2 commands us to pray for our leaders and all those in authority. Everything rises and falls on leadership. Whilst others pray for our demise, I appeal to you to pray for our salvation and wisdom, so that “we may as a nation live peaceful and quite lives in all godliness and holiness”. Please continue to pray for the ANC, our glorious movement that has liberated us and was celebrating its 105th Anniversary on 08 January 2017, umbutho wabantu!
As a Government we cannot distance ourself from the church that is why now and then we will come to you and ask for your support and prayers. We will continue knocking on your doors and ask for your Godly and Scriptural guidance. Christ said to His desciples “Moo ba le amogelang, le ba tllhogonolofatse le ba siyele kgotso ya Morena”. May the Peace of the Lord therefore rest with you and your families.
If mercy rewrote the future of Nineveh, we as the government of South Africa believe that the future of South Africa can also be rewritten. We can enjoy and celebrate our holidays without young lives being cut short by accidents on our roads, living children as orphans, some homeless and helpless relegated into poverty.
As South Africans, we simply have no respect for road safety, both pedestrians and motorists alike. 1 714 fatalities during the past festive season costing the Country billions of taxpayers’ money is totally unacceptable.
Its about time that churches rise up and take their rightful position in the society, to become the church Christ expect it to be. For the time is closer until the coming of Jesus Christ and the church must be ready.
I thank you and may god richly bless you.
