Programme director
King Dalindyebo Ah! Zwelibanzi
Executive Mayor and Councillors of King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality
Executive Mayor and Councillors of the OR Tambo District Municipality
Our media partners Umhlobo Wenene FM and Eastern Cape Today
Representatives from AB 350 Ltd
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
It is indeed a great honour for me to launch our 2009 provincial October Transport Month Campaign here today and to launch projects that are going to change the lives of all our people, especially in the rural communities, for the better.
This is an annual campaign instigated by government to highlight:
* achievements of the transport sector
* progress made in infrastructure development-based service delivery that enhances economic growth, rural and social development.
Our theme for this year is, “Transport the heart beat of South Africa’s economy and social development.” This event coincides with the funeral of ten people, who were burnt and died in a road accident in this town recently and I would like to call upon all of us to observe a moment of silence for that.
We are convening here two days after the honouring of our stalwart, the late King Sabata Dalindyebo (Aah! Jonguhlanga!), whom this municipality has been named after, with an Ubuntu Award by the National Heritage Council for the role he played in building a South Africa that truly belongs to all who live in it.
Today, we are honouring King Dalindyebo by ensuring that we accelerate our pace in the delivery of basic services and infrastructure to improve the living conditions of his people.
The King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality has been declared a Presidential Node, which warrants our vigorous and decisive interventions in order to ensure rapid improvement in the basic infrastructure such as roads, dealing with congestion on our road network, electricity, bulk services and other activities that will enable us to salvage this municipality.
As the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, we are making visible and decisive interventions with regard to the improvement of the quality of local roads, including township roads and the public transport system.
Today we are launching the second phase of our learnership project, which involved the upgrading of the Ngangelizwe Township gravel roads to surfaced standard, including Baca Road, Mpondomise Road, Gcaleka Road, Tshezi Street, Dyongozi Street, Mkwateni Street, Dywili Street, Ngozi Street, Sulani Street and Tsitsa Street at a cost R26.6 million.
The department awarded contracts in August 2008 to train young African emerging contractors under a learnership programme to upgrade roads through the use of alternative surfacing technology.
There were 30 learner contractors, who comprised 11 female and 19 male youth from different parts of the province and each contractor’s company’s staff compliment included a manager and two supervisors.
A total of 178 people were employed in this project, which included 114 males, 64 females and 105 youths, who also received on-site training and formal training on paving and slab laying, pipe laying, concrete reinforcement and kerb laying.
Earlier today, we visited the Jubilee Development site, where the department is starting the process of building a public transport facility at a cost of R16 million. This project is a three phased development comprising of:
* Temporary taxi rank and small business units, which have been completed and occupied
* Taxi rank, hawkers’ facilities and Jubilee Hall Trading Hall, currently under construction.
The site chosen for this development was previously a rubbish tip, located in a fairly depressed part of Mthatha. The flight of businesses from the area has seen a general decline of the surroundings, with clear and evident signs of urban decay.
This urban renewal project is set to change the general appearance of the surrounding areas forever.
Rainbow Place Properties 89 in conjunction with various local stake holders, Eastern Cape Taxi Council, Mthatha Taxi Owners Association, Taxi Women’s Desk and the Local Hawkers Association, to name a few identified a clear need to formalise the taxi rank on the site in order to provide services in a cohesive and coordinated manner. To this end a facility is being created for 69 taxis at the drive through taxi rank with a holding area for approximately 60 more taxis. The facility will combine street trading, hawkers and small business units in a structured manner, thus helping alleviate the dire traffic congestion this area is renowned for.
The existing Jubilee Hall has been damaged beyond salvation and thus as the focal point of the Jubilee Square Taxi Rank will be the New Jubilee Hall, with its front facade being built as an exact replica of the old building, thus maintaining a landmark in the rich and diverse cultural history of Mthatha.
The retail shopping centre will accommodate approximately 15 000 m2 of shops, specifically selected to cater to the needs of the thousands of commuters passing through the taxi rank on a daily basis.
The shops will vary from 2 500 m2 national stores to 10m2 kiosks for the entrepreneurial sole proprietor.
It is envisaged that the R200 million rand being spent overall on this project will be the catalyst in launching a general renewal of the entire urban area surrounding the site and provide Mthatha a facility with which to be proud.
All 3 phases of the project are expected to create 550 jobs during the construction phases and 450 direct and indirect jobs, within the local economy, once complete.
We are happy with the progress made so far in the taxi rank, which include:
* demolitions – 100 percent complete
* site clearance – 100 percent complete
* bulk earth works - 100 percent complete
* gabion wall cage construction – 80 percent complete
* services and utilities – 70 percent complete
* layer works for final surfacing have commenced.
This clearly demonstrates government’s commitment to improve access to public transport and ensure that transport planning becomes a critical element of town planning.
AB 350 Ltd
I am impressed by the speedy pace of the Africa’s Best 350 Ltd in building her own bus depot, which demonstrates the company’s maturity and seriousness about its business.
It is indeed gratifying to observe the developments within this 100 percent black owned company, which we believe should serve as a role model to all public transport service providers.
Despite its achievements, we continue to receive disturbing reports about the company’s buses that have been stoned and burned down by criminals, who are jealous of this development, especially in the Chris Hani District.
I would like to send a clear message to all those involved in that criminal activity that their days are numbered!
Shova Kalula Bicycle Project containers
In another effort to promote non-motorised transport, we have the Shova Kalula Bicycle Project, which is targeting rural learners who are travelling long distances to reach schools.
Despite the indelible progress that we have made as government in the distribution of bicycles for these learners, we have been confronted by a challenge of maintenance. As a result, we have resolved to purchase containers that will serve as spares shops for rural learners to fix their bicycles.
Jobs will be created as community members will be trained to run these spares shops. Today we are unveiling one of the 12 spares shops that we have purchased, which are going to be distributed throughout the Province.
In conclusion, I would like to call upon all of you to protect these assets, whether its roads infrastructure, public transport facilities, buses and their depots, bicycles and their maintenance shops in order to ensure that our people benefit without any challenge.
Working together we can do more to ensure that we salvage our people from the poverty-stricken conditions that they continue to be subjected to.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
1 October 2009
