2007/08 presented by B Cele, KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
26 April 2007
Honourable MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Mr B H Cele:
Mr Speaker
Honourable Members of the Legislature
Department of Transport officials and stakeholders
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Fellow citizens
All protocol observed
"The task is not finished. South Africa is not yet a home for all her sons
and daughters. Such a home we wish to ensure. From the beginning our history
has been one of ascending unities, the breaking of tribal, racial and creedal
barriers. The past cannot hope to have a life sustained by itself, wrenched
from the whole. There remains before us the building of a new land, a home for
men who are black, white, brown from the ruins of the old narrow groups, a
synthesis of the rich cultural strains which we have inherited. There remains
to be achieved our integration with the rest of our continent. Somewhere ahead
there beckons a civilisation, a culture, which will take place in the parade of
God's history beside other great human syntheses, Chinese, Egyptian, Jewish,
European. It will not necessarily be all black, but it will be African". Chief
Albert Luthuli (Autobiography entitled: Let my people go.)
The year 2007 marks the 40th anniversary of the death of the first African
Nobel prize winner, Chief Albert Luthuli. To this end this budget speech is
dedicated to this hero who has put the continent of Africa as a whole on the
world map. To be true to the ideals of this hero it is time fellow citizens
that we cut on lamenting and find African solutions throughout our business
programmes. As we build our roads, as we develop public transport systems, as
we embark on road safety measures, as we empower our human resources, as we
engage our communities let us ensure that we are not "mimicking the West"
(George B N Ayittey's) in his book entitled Africa Unchained.
Again honourable members 2007 is a year that we at Transport intensify the
struggle against poverty thus truly living to the call made by the President of
South Africa, Mr T M Mbeki in the 8 January 2007 statement. Amongst our
existing poverty alleviation programmes, the Siyazenzela programme under the
Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is one such measure.
Mr Speaker, the Department of Transport dedicates the 2007/08 financial year
as the year of the pedestrian. This comes in the wake of increasing fatalities
involving pedestrians on our roads in the past years, particularly during peak
periods. The importance of walking as a transport mode is emphasised by the
fact that in KwaZulu-Natal 79percent of learners walk to school whilst the main
mode of transport for 18 percent of workers in the province is walking. As we
speak of the year of the pedestrians, as we speak of educating our pedestrians
about road safety, so too must we ensure that indeed there is safety by
planning and design first.
Transport planning by municipalities must at all times take into cognisance
pedestrians including non-motorised transport.
Achievements
Honourable members, I have the pleasure to give a snap shot of achievements
made on departmental programmes announced to this House since the last budget
speech, Vote 12 on 24 April 2006. There has been increased departmental
community participation. Commuters now have a voice in this province. The
formation of commuter associations announced in the 2006 budget speech has
become a reality with 160 associations formed and the election of an interim
provincial body representative of all regions. Likewise, Mr Speaker, the bus
industry is now formalised and organised. KwaZulu-Natal Bus Council (Kwanabuco)
was formed in 2006 under the leadership of Mr A Ndlovu who is the chairperson
of this body. We are hopeful that this structure will add value in the way bus
operations and reforms are conducted in the department.
The Zibambele programme was recently recognised as the best practice model
for EPWP at an award ceremony hosted by the Minister of Public Works in
December 2006. To date Mr Speaker, the department has awarded more than 29 000
contracts to poor rural households under the Zibambele Programme. The target
figure for the 2007/08 financial year is 36 901 contracts. Furthermore, 889
Zibambele savings clubs were established to date and collectively, they have
saved an amount of R6,2 million.
The Nkwalini rail branch line, funded by the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism is 60 percent complete amidst some challenges which have
resulted to the project coming to a halt for a while. It is however envisaged
that the project will resume in August 2007.
Community participation
Mr Speaker, the President of South Africa, Mr T M Mbeki is on record in the
statement of 8 January 2007 and again in the State of the Nation Address in
February 2007 about a call for a people centred and a people driven
development. This is a call which is currently central to the core of service
delivery within the department. Consultative structures to facilitate
transparency, public participation, consultation and the development dialogue
with communities exist. These structures include Community Road Safety Councils
(CRSC's), Rural Road Transport Forums (RRTF's), KwaZulu-Natal Taxi Council
(KwaNataco), KwaZulu�Natal Bus Council (Kwanabuco) amongst others.
The recent elections held in May and June 2006 culminated in the election of
32 Rural Road Transport Forums (RRTF's). This includes the uMzimkhulu Rural
Road Transport Forum. The intention is to continue to work closely with the
RRTF's to ensure that the road needs which unlock economic and social
development of the citizens within the province are prioritised. On 11 April
2007, elections for the formation of uMzimkhulu Community Road Safety Council
took place thus making the number of CRSC's forty one.
Social programmes
Honourable members, the President's call for a people centred and people
driven approach transcends to the social programmes of the department geared
towards both our internal and external stakeholders. With regards to our
internal stakeholders, skills development, employee wellness programmes,
empowerment of our human resources particularly women, youth and the disabled
remains our focal point at this stage. On the other hand, our area of focus
with regards to external stakeholders includes capacity building, empowerment,
Zibambele programme amongst others.
Skills development
Honourable members, more often than not organisations tend to neglect the
internal skills they have which are its human resources. Such tendencies cannot
be condoned particularly in a country like South Africa which experiences a
skewed relationship in terms of growth and skills. To address this, the
department will expand its skills development programmes at all levels through
all its social upliftment programmes. The officials of the department are a
very critical component in the execution of our mandates. A skills development
and retention strategy for officials will be maximised and monitored to better
position the department to deliver on its mandate whilst ensuring
transformation of the department. This will ensure that not only are the scarce
skills attracted and retained, but also that the department does not lose the
skills already acquired. Again honourable members, where consultants are used
the department shall ensure that skills transfer does take place.
The fundamental principle of capacitating our own human resources to do the
work thus reducing reliance on consultants still remains at the forefront of
our work ethic. Employee wellness honourable members, the department of
Transport takes seriously the well being of its employees. To this end, housed
under corporate services is the employee wellness programme which is focused on
assisting all our employees with various ailments which impact on our
functioning as a department. Within the Employee Wellness Component, HIV
affected employees can access assistance primarily in the form of awareness,
education, Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT). To this end the department
has set aside R5 million for this cause. It is our conviction at Transport that
healthy employees translate to improved service delivery.
Empowerment of the vulnerable groups
"Women must play an increasingly important role in all areas of the life of the
future. They were and remain the most loyal supporters in all our struggles"
(Chief Albert Luthuli: Let my people go)
Mr Speaker, the advancement and the empowerment of women within the
department and throughout our programmes remain central on our agenda. When we
talk of women advancement, we should go further and be consistent with the
ideals of the Freedom Charter which move beyond the general and speak of
"Africans in particular". Progress is currently being made at management level
13; however, the same cannot be said of levels above, middle managers and other
levels. The advancement of women and the disabled to higher positions within
the department, as per the targets set by government and beyond, would have to
move at a faster pace.
Capacity building
Honourable members, at Transport we strive to extend capacity building
beyond our internal human resources but also to our stakeholders. In a drive to
ensure that as a department we provide the public with a safe, efficient,
reliable, affordable public transport system 250 bus operators went on training
in 2006/07 financial year. This included both subsidised and non-subsidised
operators. The graduation of subsidised bus operators was held in October 2006,
whilst the graduation for non subsidised bus operators was held in March
2006.
Mr Speaker, the training of the Taxi Industry will be a priority for the
2007/08 financial year. The department has held several meetings with the
KwaZulu-Natal Taxi Council. Briefly, their training will include business
skills, customer care and driver skills.
Empowerment of external stakeholders
Honourable members are aware of our Vukuzakhe programme. Again members of
this House, the advancement and empowerment of women within the Vukuzakhe
Programme will improve through targeted interventions. I have the pleasure to
report to this House that, after extensive consultation with Vukuzakhe
contractors in 2006/07, the department finalised the election and capacitating
of 32 Vukuzakhe Associations including uMzimkhulu. The formation of uMzimkhulu
association opens the door for contractors living in uMzimkhulu to start
tendering for contracts within 2007/08 financial year.
Mr Speaker, the draft Vukuzakhe Policy has been finalised and should be
rolled out in this new financial year. Central to the policy are matters of
risk management, advancement of vulnerable groups such as youth and women.
Provision for preferential procurement for these groups in order to ensure
participation progress, horizontal and upward mobility throughout the CIDB
grades, continued support programmes such as training, mentorship and business
development for Vukuzakhe Associations are some of the critical areas covered
in the draft policy that would now be tabled with the CIDB for their input and
acceptance as best practice innovation.
Honourable members for the very first time in 2007/08 financial year, there
will be an increased focus on the automobile industry, whereby emerging
business enterprises in this sector will receive training and assistance in
order to capacitate them to play a major role in undertaking motor vehicle
repairs on government vehicles. Meetings are currently under way in order to
fast track the organisational development for the merchants. The new contract
for the repairs of Government vehicles will be affected in this financial year
with clear output in terms of empowerment of the previously disadvantaged
communities.
Contract management with regards to busses is such that the department will
be going out to tender on bus contracts in the 2007/08 financial year. At
present the department is currently redesigning contracts such that there
should be a vast increase of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) participation,
namely women, rural women, youth, disabled. We look forward to the realisation
of this transformation.
Zibambele Road Maintenance Programme
Mr Speaker and the honourable members, the Zibambele Programme remains the
pride of the Department of Transport for a number of reasons. The programme is
currently rolled out as a national programme. The impact of this programme in
addressing poverty and gender stereotypes in the construction industry is
remarkable. The latest development on this programme is that the department is
currently exploring exit strategies for the beneficiaries to enable more
households to be engaged in the programme. To this end Mr Speaker, consultative
sessions were held with executive members of Zibambele savings clubs to
introduce them to the concept of co-operatives and co-operative banks. The
department is currently piloting two models which are Financial Services
Co-operatives as well as Services and Credit Co-operatives (SACCO) to come up
with the best approach in establishing the co-operatives.
Expanded Public Works Programme
Honourable members, the co-ordination and the implementation of the Expanded
Public Works Programme (EPWP) will be elevated to a higher level. Dedicated
funding of over R635 million is made available to EPWP projects over the Medium
Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) within the department. Within the
infrastructure sector alone, an additional R128 million Provincial
Infrastructure Grant (PIG) was allocated by National Treasury to the Province
for scaling up EPWP on access roads.
Mr Speaker our efforts at increasing our expenditure on EPWP as a province
have shown a significant increase since 2004. We have improved from a combined
budget of R444 million in 2004 to R1,3 billion in the last financial year
marking an increase of R800 million. Our new provincial EPWP plan commits us to
spending a further R1,9 billion in the new financial year. Our own department
of Transport accounts for R197 million in 2004 and R342 million in the last
financial year, whilst in the new financial year we plan to spend R400
million.
Honourable members, it is a pleasure to report that based on our innovative
initiatives and also as an outcome of our overseas travel to Curitiba; Brazil,
the department within the EPWP component, under the environment and culture
sector, launched the community based waste management pilot programme called
Siyazenzela on 12 April 2007 in Hibiscus Coast.
It is a programme modelled from the Curitiba, "Garbage that is not Garbage
programme", whereby poor households exchange waste for food parcels. Our
programme is piloted in the municipalities of Hibiscus Coast, Umgungundlovu and
iTheku. Our envisaged outcome of this programme is poverty alleviation. The
programme would be rolled out to all municipalities on completion of the pilot,
taking into account the various dynamics of different localities. This is all
in the quest to find African solutions. This is all in the quest to intensify
our fight against poverty.
Infrastructure
Mr Speaker
Programme two, roads infrastructure takes the bulk of the budget allocated
to the Department of Transport since this is the core mandate of the
department. The road network needs assessment in terms of maintenance,
rehabilitation and upgrading as well as new construction amounts to R3,962
billion in 2007/08 financial year. However, due to financial constraints an
amount of R2,357 billion was allocated to this programme marking a shortfall of
R1,6 billion in the 2007/08 financial year alone. This needs assessment
excludes the provision of the backlog of pedestrian bridges and access roads
throughout the province which needs to be addressed within the R2,357 billion
budget allocated to this programme. Whilst inundated with this huge demand for
road networks, we should also take cognisance that our road network must also
respond to the rapid and easy execution of activities for the success of the
Federation International Football Association (FIFA) 2010 World Cup event.
Major infrastructure projects being undertaken by the department include the
African Renaissance Road Upgrading Programme (ARRUP), which includes the
upgrading of eight major rural road transport corridors, the construction of
P700 (Ulundi to Hluhluwe/ Mfolozi Game Reserve) and the construction of P577
(Duffs Road to kwaDabeka). The largest increase in the budget over the MTEF in
respect of the department's investment in the provincial road network was
allocated to rehabilitation/upgrading as well as upgrades of roads in
uMzimkhulu. The second largest increase in the budget over the MTEF was
allocated to new construction to cater for the following large road
construction projects; Sani Pass, the roads to support the Dube Trade Port, the
reconstruction of John Ross Highway, and the reconstruction of P416
(uMzimkhulu, Staffords Post) to an acceptable standard.
Access
Honourable members, access remains a challenge for the majority of the
people of this province. In the last budget speech this House was informed of a
special allocation of R82 million given to the Department of Transport. R32
million of that budget was allocated to pedestrian bridges whilst the rest of
the money was allocated to access roads. To date Mr Speaker, I would like to
report that 14 pedestrian bridges were built, whilst 339 kilometre of access
roads were constructed. It is planned that in the 2007/08 financial year six
pedestrian bridges and 380 kilogram of access roads would be built.
The backlog remains huge Mr Speaker; however, we are hopeful that this House
would honour us with more budget to achieve this end. Indeed honourable
members, "The task is not finished. South Africa is not yet a home for all her
sons and daughters. Such a home we wish to ensure." (Chief Albert Luthuli).
Public transport
Honourable members, public transport, especially mini bus taxis, remain a
popular mode of transport for the majority of our communities with similar
numbers of workers using taxis as cars (39% each of vehicular trips) to get to
work. The importance of this industry to the provincial economy cannot be
underestimated.
As such the department will ensure the growth and prosperity of this
industry within government's laws and policies. Central to the prosperity of
this industry is safety, affordability, efficiency, reliability, user friendly
and formalised public transport.
Honourable members, the Department of Transport is vigorously implementing
the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme. Support from the President in his State of
the Nation Address, 9 February 2007 coupled with the commitment of the Minister
of Transport and the entire Transport MINMEC on the need to implement the
programme renders us as a department with no choice but to move swiftly in
implementing the programme. It is on this basis that the department is working
hard to ensure that the implementation of the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme
is not subject to intimidation by some individuals and any other organisation
or association.
In December 2006 the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport launched the New
Taxi Vehicles (NTVs) and scrapped the Old Taxi Vehicles (OTVs). The launch was
successful and so is the actual process of scrapping as many people come
forward to apply for the scrapping of old vehicles. Some of these people want
to exit the industry completely, whilst some people want to continue with the
business.
Honourable members, linked to pedestrian safety is the often forgotten,
often ignored, often frowned upon yet very critical mode of transport which is
at the forefront of our business non-motorised transport (NMT). In
KwaZulu-Natal our objectives with regards to NMT are to promote a transport
mode that is safe, user friendly, affordable and environmentally friendly right
across the entire spectrum of our community. In finding solutions for
non-motorised transport, the department recognises that dynamics between the
City Business Districts (CBDs), the rural areas and townships differ, and as
such different solutions for different dynamics will have to be found. The
fundamentals however remain the same; the department is committed in
championing non-motorised transport such that it becomes a way of life of our
people and indeed part and parcel of our programmes at transport.
Mr Speaker, one was privileged to witness first hand how other countries in
different parts of the world have come up with solutions for non-motorised
transport. Bogota in Colombia, Curitiba in Brazil to mention a few countries we
visited in 2006 bear testimony of the seriousness these countries place on
non-motorised transport.
Exciting developments with regards to metro rail refurbishment will soon be
announced by the National Minister, whilst talks are at an advanced stage with
regards to the building of the new airport. In order to support the latter, the
department has reprioritised its budget over the 2007/08 MTEF period in order
to ensure that funding is made available in 2007/08 and 2008/09 for the
planning and design of roads required in the vicinity of the Dube Trade Port
and the new airport.
On World Cup 2010
Honourable members, the most important factor in planning which is
emphasised by 2010 action strategy is the planning of a public transport
system, which leaves legacy as a lasting feature in public transport. In order
to achieve this goal, the public transport needs of users beyond 2010 must be
considered. The integrated intermodal facilities in key nodes are proposed for
the successful hosting of the 2010 World Cup amongst other initiatives. These
are intended to reduce dependence on private cars and promote public transport
use during and after the event. The overall intention of the project is to
provide integrated multimodal facilities for long distance public transport
services at major termini of importance for the 2010 World Cup.
The facilities will seek to integrate long distance and local public
transport services by providing facilities with multi benefits for passengers.
The Road Traffic Inspectorate and Public Transport Enforcement Unit have
compiled comprehensive plans in anticipation of the 2010 Football World Cup
which will substantially strengthen enforcement and regulation by means of
increasing the staff establishment of the Road Traffic Inspectorate by 300
officers over three years at a cost of R34 million and by increasing the staff
establishment of Public Transport Enforcement Unit by 100 officers over the
next two years at a cost of R26 million. There are other associated costs not
yet quantified related to uniforms, firearms, training and vehicles.
Honourable members, the comprehensive enforcement plan has been submitted to
the Road Traffic Management Corporation with a request for funding coupled with
an additional funding proposal for enforcement initiatives related to the taxi
recap process. The directorate's relationship with Road Traffic Management
Corporation is sound and ongoing with representation at various forums to do
with traffic legislation, regulation and enforcement.
Critical to co-ordinating the deployment and movement of Road Traffic
Inspectorate and Public Transport Enforcement Unit vehicles province wide as
well as links to Emergency Rescue Services, the Provincial Ambulance Service,
The N3 Toll Concession Company (N3TC), Local Authorities, South African Police
Services (SAPS) and South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), is
the functioning and staffing of a centralised control room with radio and other
links including other forms of communications to these entities from the Head
Office of KwaZulu-Natal, Department of Transport.
Funding to the amount of R2 million has been made available in the 2007/08
financial year to start with this project as well as funding in the amount of
R2 million to staff the central control room with Road Traffic Inspectorate
personnel on a 24 hour basis.
Engagement and enforcement
Honourable members, the Department of Transport will embark on massive road
safety education and enforcement in the quest to reduce road fatalities and
crashes in the province. The road safety directorate has planned programmes for
various target groups such as schools, adults, multi media projects, ongoing
awareness campaigns, road safety engineering amongst others.
Mr Speaker, the interim National Road Traffic and Fatal Crash Report issued
by the Road Traffic Management Corporation, 2006 records KwaZulu-Natal as one
of only two provinces where a decrease in fatal crashes were noted. This has in
part been achieved by the efforts of law enforcement which remains a critical
pillar for achieving the goals in reducing road carnage and improving safety.
Our slogan, "From Zero Tolerance to 100% Compliance� remains the driving force
behind the reduction in crashes. However, we are not there yet as one death is
one too many. Challenges still exist, which impact on the department realising
this goal.
Some of these challenges include the proliferation of drunk and driving
which is becoming a serious pandemic in the cities of Durban and
Pietermaritzburg with a total of 871 drivers arrested from 1 December 2006 to
date. Other challenges include corrupt officials, demand on more traffic
officers made by the current state of public passenger transport amongst
others. It is our hope that one day, the roads of KwaZulu-Natal would be crash
free. For this to be realised road safety education and enforcement would be
intensified, coupled with positive and tolerant attitude of all road users.
I have the pleasure honourable members to announce that the innovative speed
calming measures as represented by full automatic cameras located at various
points around the province on national roads are to be expanded further to high
accident locations on provincial roads. Specially seconded officers have been
attached to the Traffic Camera Office to provide support to the service
provider of the full automatic cameras. This is to ensure that the images
remain the property of the Road Traffic Inspectorate and that prosecutions are
promoted by the Traffic Camera Office. An amount of R4,2 million has been
invested in the current financial year on speed calming measures which are
placed at high accident locations.
The Incident Management System (IMS) has been expanded throughout the
province, thanks to sponsorship from SANRAL and selected IMS modules are
presently being taught by the Traffic Training College. This will improve the
management of ad hoc emergencies as they occur. In keeping with the expansion
the Road Traffic Inspectorate Directorate, the vehicle fleet of modern well
equipped patrol vehicles in full corporate colours as well as unmarked vehicles
is underway at a cost of R12,7 million for the 2006/07 financial year. Special
high speed patrol vehicles with conspicuous markings have been provided to
selected stations for specialised enforcement in particular high speeds and
cases where motorists fail to stop and need to be pursued in order to be
brought to book. Speeds of 200 kilometres are quite common in this province
especially at Ladysmith, Midway and Park Rynie. In each of these cases the
offender is prosecuted vigorously.
Initiatives by the Public Transport Enforcement Unit on a province wide
basis will continue for the remainder of this year in order to improve the
level of bus accidents by removing unroadworthy buses from our bus systems and
by initiating a process to cancel passenger transport permits in respect of
repeater offenders. Every bus in this province will be inspected at least once
again in 2007.
Risk management
I have the pleasure honourable members to announce to this House that great
strides have been made in the campaign to combat and control the import of
second hand vehicles into Africa through the road network of KwaZulu-Natal. The
Appellate Court in Bloemfontein in March 2007 upheld the decision that such
vehicles should not drive on our roads, but rather be carried as cargo. These
vehicles end up back in South Africa having avoided compliance with all South
African National Standards (SABS), South African Revenue Service (SARS) and
South African Police Service inspections. Since the road worthiness of such
vehicles cannot be confirmed, the Department of Transport applauds the decision
of the Appellate Court.
With regards to vehicle technical compliance inspections of second hand
vehicles into the country, the department is once again all out to realise its
slogan, "From Zero Tolerance to 100% appliance". To this end, the Motor
Transport Directorate has been instrumental in the cancellation of the
registration of five vehicle test centres, 18 vehicle examiners, and 65 arrests
during 2006/07 financial year.
These structures were not adhering to stringent regulations with regards to
technical compliance, whilst others were taking bribes to certify vehicles as
road worthy. Honourable members, the Motor Licensing Section of the department
has centralised all high risk transactions including the functions pertaining
to the removal of fees from the system and the approval for the issue of
duplicate registration certificates. The access thereto has been revoked for
all National Traffic Information System (NaTIS) users throughout the province
and these transactions are performed centrally by a number of individuals on
submission of the appropriate documentation.
Challenges
Honourable members, the operations of the department are not without
challenges. A snap shot of these challenges include but are not limited to the
following:
* the adverse effect of inadequate budget to address the backlogs in terms of
maintenance and construction
* the rapid deterioration of our black top roads due to freight traffic.
Overloading on the KwaZulu-Natal roads amount to R55 million worth of damage
per annum
* unstable environment in the public transport industry
* claims against the department on potholes
* instant hikes on construction cost towards 2010, e.g. the Nsezi to Nseleni
river bridge in John Ross.
* highway which was tendered at R168 000 but tenders came at R265 000 more than
half the price
* skewed skills versus fast growing economy which moves faster than the skills
development and acquisition
* the lengthy process in the issuing of Records of Decision (ROD) when
implementing projects.
Honourable members, amidst all the above mentioned challenges and consistent
with the National Transport Policy, the department continues to address the
most critical challenges that prevent it from fulfilling its meaningful
role.
Mr Speaker, it is now my privilege to formally table Budget Vote 12,
Department of Transport to the amount of R3,119,867 billion which would be
allocated to the five programmes of the Department as follows:
* administration R149,173 million
* road infrastructure R2,359,229 billion
* transportation R70 788
* traffic Management R434 238 million
* community based programme R105 439 million.
Whilst the amount appropriated to the department marks an increase from the
previous year's budget, it is still insufficient to cover the dire needs of
this department. We therefore urge this House to call for a review of the
Division of Revenue Act such that there is an increase geared towards
addressing the backlog in road infrastructure development and maintenance which
is the core mandate of this department. The emphasis of this call is serious
and urgent particularly with the incorporation of uMzimkhulu to KwaZulu-Natal
in terms of the new demarcation dispensation.
Mr Speaker at this stage, I would like to express my thanks to the Head of
Department Dr KB Mbanjwa and his entire staff of the KwaZulu-Natal Department
of Transport for their support since the beginning of my term of office. I
would also like to thank the Members of the Portfolio Committee on Transport
who holds us accountable, for the input they made into the budget speech as
well as their guidance and support they have shown the Department of Transport.
Our stakeholders who share and help us drive our vision do not go unrecognised.
Last but not least, my appreciation goes to my team in the Office of the MEC
who share my experiences in my work everyday, the good, the bad and the
ugly.
Finally, honourable members allow me to conclude in the words of the first
African Nobel Peace Prize winner, Chief Albert Luthuli to whom this speech is
dedicated:
"We could not achieve the new South Africa overnight, but we could begin to
build it. We have suffered enough. We have suffered rape, plunder and
demolition, selfishness, avarice and oppression. We seek no vengeance. More
than other continents, perhaps and as much as any other nation on this
continent, we need the ways of peace, the ways of industry, the ways of
concord� The struggle must go on, the struggle to make the opportunity for the
building to begin. The struggle will go on".
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Transport, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
26 April 2007
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kzntransport.gov.za)
