Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has called on provinces and municipalities to ensure the successful roll-out of the S'hamba Sonke (Moving Together) Road Maintenance Programme, being rolled out this financial year.
The Minister made the call at the Transport MinMec held in eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal earlier today, Friday, 1 April 2011.
“S'hamba Sonke is a new nation wide drive to focus on maintenance and construction of secondary road infrastructure, using labour intensive methods. In partnership with provinces and municipalities, we are going to improve access to schools, clinics and other social and economic opportunities by drastically upgrading our secondary road network and fixing and repairing potholes throughout the country.
The programme will create new opportunities for emerging contractors and jobs across the country. R6.4 billion has been set aside in 2011/12, R7.5 billion in 2012/13 and R8.2 billion for 2013/14, amounting to a total of R22.3 billion in the medium-term.
The programme is targeting the creation of approximately 70 000 jobs in 2011/12, in relation to the routine maintenance of roads and infrastructure in line with the Zibambele road maintenance concept. Zibambele, which means ‘doing it ourselves’, is a form of routine road maintenance using labour-intensive methods in which a family or household is contracted to maintain a specific length of road.
“We, as the national Department of Transport, provinces and municipalities, must go all out to ensure that S’hamba Sonke as well as the Transport Programme of Action is successfully rolled out throughout the country, by coordinating and aligning priorities, budgets, policies and activities across inter-related functions and sectors. Facilitating the smooth flow of information within the transport sector, and between government and communities, with a view to enhancing the implementation of policy and programmes is also important.
The Transport Sector must be characterised by structured engagements with communities, business, each other and with every stakeholder on all relevant issues. We must do everything to build a Transport Family in which we all contribute and play our different roles with a common agenda, vision, clearly identifiable objectives and targets in order to create a better life for all,” said Minister Ndebele.
Other key issues discussed at the MinMec included:
- The Transport Programme of Action for 2011/12, emanating from a three-day Transport Lekgotla held in Cape Town from 24 February 2011, to be spearheaded by a soon-to-be established National Transport Planning Committee.
- Finalisation of the classification of undeclared roads.
- Road funding options.
- Information sharing.
- The 2011 COP 17 to be hosted by South Africa later this year.
MinMec is a co-coordinating body chaired by the Minister and primarily comprises of the Deputy Minister, nine MECs for Transport and other key officials.
Meanwhile, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) Shareholders’
Committee chaired by Minister Ndebele, also met in KwaZulu-Natal today (1 April 2011). The Draft RTMC Strategy 2011-2015 was presented to the meeting and resolutions adopted included the appointment and deployment of traffic officers to serve within the National Traffic Unit.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 6444 050
