Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele will host a Road Construction and Maintenance Summit on 24 and 25 May 2010 focusing on various challenges relating to the construction and maintenance of roads.
It is expected that deliberations at the summit will provide innovative solutions to challenges experienced in the construction and maintenance of roads. Some of the high level issues the summit seeks to address will be a renewed focus on asset preservation and maintenance, efficient spending on road infrastructure, balance between preservation and expansion, road asset management systems as a tool for optimal decision-making as well as capacity and skills development constraints faced by the sector.
Participants will include Members of Parliament; Members of Provincial
Legislatures; councillors; officials from national; provincial and local government as well as various other representatives from the road construction and maintenance sector.
During the 2010/11 Transport budget vote debate, Minister Ndebele reiterated that the current state of our road infrastructure, particularly in provinces and municipalities, is reflective of a lack of sustained investment in road maintenance over many years.
The Minister announced that the Department of Transport is working with National Treasury to consider various options, including a dedicated Road Infrastructure Maintenance Fund that prioritises maintenance and a ring-fencing mechanism, to deal with the road maintenance backlogs and challenges at provincial and local level. The principle of promoting asset preservation and maintenance, optimal decision-making and informed expenditure through regular data collection is of paramount importance.
This initiative is not only about sourcing additional funding for maintenance, but also ensuring that existing funds are used effectively for their intended purpose. This is also about better management of our road assets. This programme should not only arrest the decline of our road infrastructure, but also create jobs, develop SMMEs and contribute to the growth of our economy.
Media are invited to cover the opening of the summit by the minister.
Details are as follows:
Date: Monday, 24 May 2010
Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Gauteng
Time: 10h00 (Media arrival time is 09h30)
All media are requested to confirm attendance by no later than 12h00 on
Friday, 21 May 2010 with:
Sello Tshipi
Cell: 073 498 6722
E-mail: TshipiA@dot.gov.za
Mthunzikazi Mbungwana
Cell: 072 645 1792
E-mail: MbungwaM@dot.gov.za
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 644 4050
