Programme director
Transport experts present
Representatives of the NEPAD secretariat
NEPAD representatives from other countries
Executives from organisations
Government officials
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
All protocol observed
Introduction
Thank you very much for affording me the opportunity to speak at this very timely New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Transport Summit in the presence of experts and specialists in the transport field. I am indeed pleased to be part of this auspicious occasion.
Present here are people from various different transport fraternities and interests and government will respect and listen to your ideas. You are the experts in planning and delivering transport plans and services to the people who maintain our infrastructure and basically playing a leading role in building an integrated, sustainable, effective transport system that supports the growth of Africa and the global economy.
Central to our growth is the development and implementation of a plan of action to secure the United Nations millennium development goals by 2015. These goals underpin our efforts as governments to build on a number of transport development programmes being carried out by countries, regional and continental blocs, including NEPAD. This adds on our endeavour to improve, upgrade and expand transport infrastructure and services through eradication of physical and non-physical barriers along transport corridors.
2010 FIFA World Cup
In a few months time, more than 400 000 football fans will descend to the shores of South Africa to witness one of the most enjoyable and memorable sporting event in the history of Africa, the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The world cup will be a defining moment for Africa. It will present us with an opportunity to showcase our competitiveness in infrastructure development, growth, trade and development, tourism, social and economic development. We have already achieved a lot with regard to transportation, energy, tourism, telecommunication and automotive infrastructure as we plan ahead in the event of any anticipated economic growth in the near future after the world cup.
We will host a resounding 2010 FIFA World Cup, precisely because South Africans understand that success is borne and bread of collective effort, commitment, energy and enthusiasm. Most of our 2010 transport operational plans are complete in host cities.
The South African transport master plan
Ladies and gentlemen, you would agree with me that most countries’ economies do not grow at a faster rate than they should because of poor future planning and preparation on infrastructure. The South African government has taken a firm view of the Transport master plan 2010 to 2015 which is a blueprint for infrastructure investment and development for South Africa over the coming 45 years. The master plan will answer some of the challenges on fragmentation and responsibilities for transport functions.
The transport master plan first phase is on data collection which was completed in August 2007. The second phase, the analysis, was completed in April 2008. Both these phases involve the application of the demand model to predict intermediate and design demand for freight and passenger services.
The information will in turn be compared with the capacity of the road and rail networks, airports and ports to identify where capacity will need to be beefed up. The final phase of the master plan involves the development of an action agenda that will include recommendations on the institutional and policy framework necessary to the implementation of the action agenda of the master plan. We are very much confident that the master plan will be key to South Africa’s sustainable transport solution for the future.
Major transport projects
South Africa’s road network infrastructure is being backed by the government’s investment of R70 billion in the three year funding model, an investment that will support and enhance our economy. The R23 billion Gauteng Freeway Improvement project will help to ease congestion in Gauteng’s freeways. We have also allocated R19,6 billion for the public transport infrastructure for the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup and most of our major 2010 transport projects are completed or near completion in all host cities.
All airports under Airports Company South Africa’s (ACSA) network are receiving our utmost attention with R20 billion allocations from the balance sheet of ACSA for the national airports development plan. Our Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has invested R18 billion in the short term to overhaul its rolling stock and refurbishment of coaches. The Soweto, Khayelitsha and Tshwane Business Expresses are playing a vital role in transporting people to and from urban centres.
Public transport
In addition, another area of development is public transport. We are driven by a vision of an effective, efficient, safe, reliable and integrated public transport system that includes urban and rural areas. Our biggest achievement in this regard is the Cabinet approval of the public transport strategy in 2006. The main thrust of this strategy is to integrate our public transport system by establishing public transport networks in order to maximise transport services.
As government our mandate includes the continuation of playing a role within the global and regional context as we continue to enter into country to country agreements that can combine resources of various countries to help build infrastructure across the region and the Continent as a whole.
Transport and NEPAD
The NEPAD initiative can progress very well through investments in transport, energy, information and communications technology (ICT), water and sanitation. NEPAD should therefore aim to strengthen transportation through the following:
* reducing the costs of transport and improving the quality of services
* increasing private financial investment in transport infrastructure
* improving the maintenance of transport infrastructure
* removing formal and informal (physical and non–physical) barriers to the movement of people, goods and services
* supporting regional cooperation and the integration of markets for transport services and
* improving the safety of all transport modes; air, land, rail, sea and pipeline
* removing bottle necks that retard trade and development between countries.
The African Union has identified regional integration, bringing together countries of the continent, as the way to solve the chronic problems of poverty, hunger, jobs and constraints on growth. The key to integrating the national economies is swift, efficient, and economic cross-border transport on road, rail, air and sea. To do this is priority to open up the continent for investment and it is critical to prioritise and fast-track development of Africa’s cross-border transport networks and transport corridors, to cut red tape and streamline border formalities
The task ahead of this summit is for decision-makers from across Africa and local and international experts to discuss, debate and look for answers and ways to speed Africa’s growth into the future. Africa is on the move and the African Union through its NEPAD programme wants to increase and direct the momentum. This inaugural summit is setting the pace and is expected to become an annual event.
Building and maintaining Africa’s transport infrastructure is an incredible task offering enormous opportunities for job creation and trade; it will never stop. The summit is a milestone on the road to Africa's future
NEPAD and future growth
This Transport Summit opens up many opportunities in Africa as business people in the transport sector will have brilliant opportunities to engage and find ways of planning and partnering in the transport industry. As the transport master plan indicates, we plan for generations to come and present future business opportunities for the majority of our people. Opportunities for business, trade and investment will feature when the vital elements of Africa’s cross-border transport, infrastructure, logistics, supply chain, telecommunications, finance and border formalities will come under the spotlight during this summit.
Africa is on the move and we can speed up the momentum if we can get African countries to open up and share their trade links with the rest of the world.
I am confident that this summit has attracted decision-makers from African governments, the African Union and regional economic communities who will contribute meaningfully to our challenges.
Together with senior executives from major transport and logistic companies, engineering and construction groups, development banks and funding agencies we should be able to share excellent and fruitful ideas. The European Union, France, the Netherlands, Angola, Canada and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have representatives who will share with us some of their experiences and expertise on transport matters.
As we engage one another let us put more emphasis on Africa’s key cross-border arteries, road, rail and air and its ports and their importance in regional integration. In addition let’s have an objective and constructive position on the green agenda, covering new technologies to reduce the transport carbon footprint, bio fuels and alternative sources of energy, and the greening of logistics and supply chains.
The 53-nation African Union has identified the regional integration of national economies through NEPAD as the answer to the continent’s chronic problems of hunger, poverty and slow growth. The key is swift solution of efficient and sustainable economic cross-border transport services. So it is upon us to carry the assignment on our shoulders and make the best use of available opportunities to Africa and the rest of the world, a progressive and sustainable social and economic development agenda that will benefit the rest of the world.
I thank you!
Issued by: Department of Transport
25 November 2009
Source: Department of Transport (http://www.transport.gov.za)
