Transport Industry Stakeholders from South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region as well as experts from organisations such as World Bank, SADC Secretariat on Transport and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Southern Africa have gathered at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park to take part in a two-day Cross Border Road Transport Indaba.
With the theme "Changing Gears - Transcending Borders," the aim of the indaba is to promote the role that the Cross Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA) and cross border road transport play in promoting economic development within the SADC region. The Indaba further aims to create a platform for discussion and debate in moving the industry to new levels of operational efficiencies.
Delivering the keynote address titled, Regional Integration: unlocking the economic potential of the SADC Region, the Minister of Transport, Honourable S'bu Ndebele said it is important that SADC Member States work together to implement an integrated border management framework in order to fast-track free flow of trade in the region.
"The key challenge for SADC Member Countries is to implement an integrated border management framework within a reasonable time-frame in order to increase the percentage share of SADC trade in the world market. This will only be possible when Member States comply with the decisions agreed under the SADC Protocols and speed up its implementation," said the Minster.
He further pointed out that if SADC plans and implements all its Transport Master Plan objectives that include the unblocking of regional corridors effectively, our aspiration to join the rest of the world in economic development will become a reality.
The CEO of CBRTA, Sipho Khumalo, said that regional integration is important because it will increase market size in the region and allow for realisation of scale of economies and exploitation of opportunities for Southern African firms to increase trade across regional borders. "Regional integration is important for the economic growth of the SADC region in a sense that it would attract foreign direct investment - leading to improved transport infrastructure and competition amongst firms as well as reduce inefficiencies and transport costs which will in turn increase intra-regional and international trade," said Khumalo.
Enquiries:
Kago Ramoroka
Tel: 012 348 1357
Cell: 073 500 8106
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 644 4050
Editors' Notes (Facts about Cross-Border Road Transport Agency)
- The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA) is a statutory body, situated in Menlyn, Pretoria. The mandate of the C-BRTA is set out in terms of the Cross-Border Road Transport Act 4, of 1998, as amended (the Act). It operates in a commercial environment, with Government (represented by the Minister of Transport) being the shareholder.
- The Agency regulates Cross-Border Road Transport of all passengers & freight from South Africa into the Southern African Development Community Region (SADC).
- Cross-Border Road Transport is underpinned by multilateral and bilateral agreements between South Africa and several of its neighbouring countries under the auspices of the Cross- Border Road Transport Agency and the SADC Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology, including the SACU Memorandum of Understanding.
- The SADC Protocol on Transport, Communications, and Meteorology highlights the fact that the transport sector has a regional and global character and as such, seeks to promote integration and co-operation in transport matters between member states.
Core Functional Areas
- Facilitation and Industry Development- ensures that consultations and partnerships with other key role players within South Africa and SADC are fostered and maintained.
- Road Transport Inspectorate - monitors the carriers through country-wide inspections and ensures that carriers operate within the prescribed legal parameters.
- Regulatory - responsible for the issuing and facilitation of all cross border permits.
- Research and Advisory - advises the Minister of Transport and the Department of Transport on regional road transport imperatives and challenges. This function also monitors and counteracts any restrictive measures that may be implemented by other states in the SADC region.
