by MEC Thobile Mhlahlo, Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, Bisho
15 March 2007
Madam Speaker
Honourable Premier
Honourable members
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
"Sakha Isizwe"
It is again that time of the year, when we have to come back to this august
house and present the policy priorities of the Department of Roads and
Transport in the Eastern Cape.
This presentation is informed by the policy directives deriving from the
President's State of the Nation Address, Eastern Cape Premier's State of the
Province Address and the National Budget Statement by the Minister of Finance
Trevor Manuel.
Collectively, the above statements have provided us a prompt response to the
challenges that have been confronting our people for many decades. As further
declared by the President through the statement made on 8 January, that 2007 is
the "year to intensify the struggle against poverty as we advance in unity
towards 2012," this declaration is informed by the tasks that remain in terms
of implementing the popular mandate that we received in 2004 to build a
people's contract to create work, and fight poverty, and the advancement
towards the realisation of our election manifesto target of halving
unemployment and poverty by 2014.
The central challenge that we face in this second decade of our freedom is
to defeat poverty and advance social transformation. None of the great social
problems we have to solve is capable of resolution outside the context of the
creation of jobs and the alleviation and eradication of poverty and therefore
"the struggle to eradicate poverty has been and will continue to be a central
part of the national effort to build the new South Africa."
The Rapid Assessment Survey of over 12 000 households in the province
highlighted the challenge of poor or lack of infrastructure to facilitate
access to government services.
According to the Eastern Cape Macro-social Analysis, our province has a
population of 6,4million people and 54% of this figure comprises of women,
which also translates into the majority of households being headed by women in
the Eastern Cape.
The Provincial Transport summit that we hosted in April 2006 mandated the
Department of Roads and Transport in the Eastern Cape to, amongst other
things:
* accelerate the transport infrastructure provision
* ensure that our transportation system facilitates and enables the realisation
of socio-economic gains and further provide movement of commuters and
goods
* continue to overhaul our public transport system and introduce new solutions
in preparation for 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Since then, the department had embarked on a process of analysing its
strategies in an effort to find new public transport solutions that complement
our Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP).
The current stage of implementation of the PGDP requires a speedy response
from our road infrastructure and public transport systems.
Programme one: Administration
Honourable members, we will continue to provide support to all divisions of
the department to ensure optimal, transparent, effective and efficient
utilisation of all resources.
Through this programme, we will provide support for the realisation of the
Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP), the High Impact Priority Project
(HIPP) and Integrated Transportation Plan.
As part of public service transformation, the department has participated in
the Khaedu Project.
The project has further maximised the principles of Batho Pele � People
First; and all managers have spent some time in the districts to strengthen the
understanding of service delivery challenges.
The department received, together with three other departments, the
Premier's Balasela Award in December 2006. The Award was presented to the
department for leadership in providing integrated transport solutions.
Honourable Members, technical skills shortage continues to haunt our young
democracy, which has prompted government to embark vigorously on programmes
that seek to attain such skills.
Madam Speaker, scarce skills are a major challenge, specifically in the
engineering, rail, aviation, maritime and transport economics fields. The
department has established partnerships with various stakeholders, particularly
institutions of higher learning, for building and growing transportation
skills.
We have further embarked on an accelerated recruitment programme to seek
these much needed skills in order to get new blood into the system.
Similarly, an updated human resource plan with its own employment equity
plan, skills development plan, recruitment and retention strategy will be
implemented and closely monitored with special emphasis on addressing scarce
skills which have been a challenge in the department.
Since 2003, our Maths and Science project has now enabled us to award 300
bursaries towards transport related studies with more emphasis on civil and
mechanical engineering.
On that note, Madam Speaker, I would like to introduce to this house some of
the recipients of our bursaries to do civil engineering, who are now working in
our Rail and Maritime Section:
* Nelisa Dyani, an intern from Ezibeleni
* Asanda Magwaxaza from Willowvale, she is doing in-service training
* Acquilla Sotyato from Mthatha, who is also doing in-service training.
In our midst, we have another group of 80 bursary holders, who are currently
doing their first year in courses such as civil and mechanical engineering,
transport economics, information technology, traffic law enforcement and
forensic investigation.
The department has fully introduced Supply Chain Management (SCM) and one of
the main areas of focus will be the implementation of the Broad Based Black
Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Charter for the transportation sector.
In preparation for the national adoption of the transportation sector BBBEE
charter, the department has developed the draft transportation sector charter
and thus created awareness and understanding amongst the transportation
industry.
Through this BBBEE charter we will further make certain that the
department's operations are transformed to be wholly and totally BBBEE
compliant.
To ensure a seamless supply chain management system, we have decentralised
our procurement by establishing district procurement committees to streamline
procurement processes and enhance access.
The campaign to stop the misuse of Government Fleet has been very
successful, with 398 vehicles confiscated during the 2006/07 financial year and
disciplinary actions taken by the departments concerned.
The 2006/07 financial year was the third year of the five-year Fleet
Management Contract with service providers Fleet Africa Eastern Cape. The
National Treasury's Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit has just completed a
diagnostic study, which will provide an informed strategic approach as part of
the way forward.
Apart from the HIV and AIDS policy for the department which was launched in
2005/06, there are ongoing campaigns to ensure that the infection is contained
amongst our employees and clients. In line with best practice worldwide, we
have developed an employee wellness program.
As stated in my policy speech last year, we have strengthened our capacity
of revenue collection. The projected revenue for the current financial year was
R171,119 million and actual revenue collected as at 28 February 2007 was
R253,857 million. This shows an increase of R82,738 million. The bulk of our
revenue is from vehicle licence fees.
Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to announce that the
licence and miscellaneous fees will increase by 12,5% as from 1 April 2007, as
per the Executive Council Resolution to bring parity to these fees in line with
other provinces. The agency fee that the department pays to Registering
Authorities for collecting licence fees will increase by 2,5% from 15% to
17,5%.
The structure of the department which integrates Roads function and the
former Department of Transport was approved in June 2006. From this structure,
the department has managed to decrease the vacancy rate from 55,1% to 48,2%.
Since November 2006, the department has embarked on a vigorous strategy of
filling 465 vacant posts that were identified as critical.
Later today, we will launch our new website, which is a milestone in
ensuring access to updated information on services that we render as a
department to ensure a quick turnaround on our challenges. These are efforts
that seek to widen accessibility to services by our stakeholders at all
levels.
We will be establishing a video conferencing facility in an endeavour to
lead by example. The facility will mean that the public will gain easier access
to my office and the department. All these measures will be additional to the
desired face to face interactions that we always strive to achieve with the
public.
We have launched our Batho Pele service standards, which I will also table
here today. These standards will be linked to our performance management
system. The latter will be monitored through an electronic balanced scorecard
system which cascades to individual performance. The service standards will
serve as a tool by which the public will measure our performance, as well as
for remedial actions taken. In December 2007, the department will publish its
first citizen's report to reflect its level of compliance with these
standards.
The Provincial Traffic Information Centre at Wilsonia has been repositioned
to serve as client centre for the whole department. This call centre with the
toll-free number of 0800 644 644, is equipped with technology to track any
service delivery request, suggestions or complaints (for example road
condition, quality of public transport, accidents, etc). One of the great
successes of this call centre is 'Operation Pothole,' where we received and
attended to complaints from members of the public about potholes in our road
network.
Members of the public are encouraged to continue reporting potholes or
dangerous road conditions through this toll-free number.
Programme one: Roads infrastructure
In the 2006/07 financial year, we upgraded the following gravel roads to
surfaced standard:
* Cala to Lady Frere, phase two - R220 million
* Mthatha to Qokolweni - R130 million
* N2 to Kei Mouth - R230 million
* Ugie to Langeni, phase one - R240 million
* MaClear to Mt Fletcher, phase two - R140 million.
We have further reconstructed the roads between Adelaide and Fort Beaufort
(R175 million) and 25 kilometres between Graaff Reinet and Jansenville.
As we speak, Honourable members, work is in progress on the following
construction projects:
* MaClear to Mt Fletcher Phase 3 � R150 million
* Middledrift to Alice � R207 million
* Ugie to Langeni Phase 2 � R420 million
* Ugie to Langeni Phase 3 � R348 million
* Mount Frere to R56 Phase 1 (T15) � R347 million
* Sulenkamma Hospital Road � R240 million
* Xuka River Bridge � R9 million.
The department has further embarked upon special mega-projects that embody
the principles of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The road between
the towns of Klipplaat and Jansenville is one of them. The department has
assembled some of its in-house resources and teamed them up with 170 locals of
these towns to upgrade 27 kilometres of gravel road to a paved surface. Twelve
local women were trained through the project in sewing and they are now
providing all the workers with protective clothing. Some of the residents have
converted their homes into lodging facilities, namely 'Siseko Sovuyo Lodge,' to
accommodate some of our staff members. Other locals are trained in various
fields such as fencing, brick making and bricklaying, culvert laying and bridge
construction.
Today, I am happy to announce that the department is currently at an
advanced stage with the planning and implementation of a similar project in
Alicedale. We will be commencing with the upgrading of the 17 kilometre stretch
of road between the N10 and Alicedale in the 2007/08 financial year.
The department is ready to start with the deployment of in-house resources,
along the principles of the Klipplaat to Jansenville project, as soon as the
social facilitation process has been completed.
The department is still committed to initiating the following projects in
the third quarter of the 2007/08 financial year:
* Fonteinskloof to Ncanarha
* Isilimela Hospital Road
* Motherwell to Addo
* East London to Kidds Beach
* Peddie to Birha River.
Numerous other projects as detailed in our Integrated Roads and Transport
Infrastructure Plan, which I also table here today, will be initiated.
Since August up to November 2006 the province endured heavy rains and
floods. This resulted in flood damage to the roads especially in the Cacadu
District as well as various other districts. Directly or indirectly, the heavy
rainfall had a depressive impact in the expenditure trends of the current
financial year.
Madam Speaker, additional to the normal maintenance and construction of
roads, this department had to fund the unplanned maintenance and construction
of the road infrastructure as a result of damages emanated from the mentioned
floods.
Honourable Members, the roads' programme has given effect and content to the
overall goals of the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP) as well as
to the Expanded Public Works Programme. The Capital Programme alone is likely
to exceed the targeted number of employment opportunities which is 8 000.
Due to the huge increase in traffic volumes as well as heavy vehicles, the
department in partnership with the South African National Roads Agency Limited
(SANRAL), has commissioned a feasibility study for the tolling of the road
between East London and Port Elizabeth (R72). The department, through this
effort, intends to upgrade the current R72 to a dual lane standard.
Madam Speaker, the maintenance of the road network is progressing fairly
well given the financial constraints that it is operating under. The fact that
only two pothole cases were reported to our client centre during February 2007
(against the 97 complaints during November 2006) is probably an indication of
the success since the kick-off of the campaign at the beginning of November
2006, despite the fact that we were hampered by some heavy rainfalls and
extremely heavy traffic.
The total result of our pothole campaign is as follows per district:
Cacadu District
Potholes in the order of 3 654 metre-square (m2) was repaired on the Addo
Road. Further repairs are still in progress. In and around Port Elizabeth,
another 5 714 m2 potholes were fixed and on the Seaview Road 27 200 m2 of
slurry works were completed. The total amount spent on pothole repairs during
the last financial year was R7,602 million.
Amathole District
A contract to the amount of R171,000 has been issued on the coastal road
(Route R72) between the Peddie junction and through the Keiskamma Pass. On
another section of the R72 (Airport to Kidds Beach), 2 680 m2 of potholes were
repaired at a cost of R700 000. Repairs have been completed on the road to Glen
Eden and pothole repairs on the road to Kwelera Mouth are currently in
progress.
Ukhahlamba District
A R2 million contract has just been completed on roads around Venterstad,
Steynsburg and Burgersdorp, totalling +/- 2 400m2. Further patching and repairs
will be done to these roads, as well as the road to Sterkspruit and Barkley
East to Elliot at a cost of +/- R3million.
Chris Hani District
Patching and repair of +/- 3100m2 of route R397 (Sterkstroom � Molteno) has
been completed at a cost of R948 000.
O.R. Tambo District
Pothole patching on route R61 (Magusheni � Bizana � Port Edward) is ongoing.
An area of 731 m2 has been attended to at a cost of R235 000.
Priorities for 2007/08
Cacadu District
The department will mainly concentrate on the Addo road, the whole of the
R72 and some roads in and around the Nelson Mandela Metropole.
Amathole District
The coming year will see the department continue to concentrate on sections
of the Coastal road (R72), the Mount Coke Road and roads leading to the Coastal
Resorts.
Chris Hani District
Work on route R397 (Sterkstroom � Molteno) will continue, with further
emphasis on the roads from Queenstown to Whittlesea and Lady Frere. Roads
around Dodrecht, Indwe, Elliot and Ugie will be attended to at the same
time.
Ukhahlamba District
Finishing off of the current contract on roads around Venterstad,
Burgersdorp and Steynsburg, being followed up with a further contract of
R4,7million.
O.R. Tambo District
A contractor had been established on the R61 (Magusheni � Bizana � Port
Edward). Attention will be given to the section of road between Lusikisiki and
Flagstaff. Another focus area will be the road to Coffee Bay.
The department remains committed to have a rapid response to potholes, two
days for temporary repair and two weeks for permanent repair.
There are currently nine Area Wide Maintenance Contracts (AWMC) and five of
those were initiated in the current financial year. The maintenance programme
has already yielded 1 442 new job opportunities. Madam Speaker, in line with
the mission and vision of the department, the focus for the 2007/08 financial
year will be in the development, restoration and maintenance of the provincial
network.
The total provincial network is 43 465 kilometres of which 5 102 kilometres
are surfaced and 38 363 kilometres are gravel. In response to this challenge,
the department will start next financial year with a 10 year plan to change the
ratio of surface to gravel roads, with 80% of the 43 465 kilometres to surface
and 20% to remain gravel. Due to the scarcity of quarry material, alternative
surfacing technologies will get a stronger focus in this plan. The plan will
also promote labour intensive methods for job creation.
This initiative will be supported by the substantial recapitalisation of the
yellow fleet over the next 10 years.
The department is busy restoring its own internal capacity through creating
centres of excellence in Graaff Reinet and Grahamstown. The primary focus of
these centres will be the transfer of skills to both in-house maintenance and
construction units as well as to communities.
These will serve as the fountain of technical, technological and engineering
advancement for both the department and communities, as they would focus on
labour-intensive methods of construction (EPWP) and mentoring of internal
resources.
This concept is in line with the PGDP objectives as it would give content
and effect to government's overall strategic objective of developing human
capital to meet the acute shortage of technical and entrepreneur skills.
The department's project and programme management capacity will be enhanced
by means of undertaking structured internship and learnership programmes. The
successful interns and learners will then be appointed should vacancies exist.
The department's bursary holders will also get hands-on experiential training
and sharpen their project management skills at these centres.
Programme three: Public transport
Honourable Members, towards realising government priorities, we have made
great strides in integrating our planning vertically with the different spheres
of government and horizontally with other provincial departments and national
authorities operating in the province.
At national level we continue to interact through Minister and MEC's Forum
(MINMEC) and its supporting structures under the national Department of
Transport.
The department is responsible for administering the Urban Transport Act in
the province and serves on all three metropolitan transport advisory boards
established for the three declared metropolitan transport areas i.e. Nelson
Mandela Bay, Buffalo City and Mthatha. Transport planning for 2010 is an
important item on the agendas of these Boards' meetings.
Madam Speaker, during the year under review the Executive Council approved a
submission by the department for the establishment of intergovernmental
transport co-ordination structures in the province as required in terms of the
National Land Transport Transition Act.
These structures recognise the important roles that transport forums at
local and district level must play in our planning and implementation
processes. The Transportation Forums will be implemented in co-operation with
the relevant authorities in the coming financial year under Programme five.
The integration and updating of our plans to ensure that the provision and
maintenance of strategic transport infrastructure responds to the most urgent
needs of the travelling public is an on-going process and will remain a
challenge in years to come as the needs far outweigh the available
resources.
The National Land Transport Transition Act (NLTTA) stipulates that the MEC
responsible for transport in each provincial government must prepare a
Provincial Land Transport Framework (PLTF) for a five year period in accordance
with the transport requirements prescribed by the Minister of Transport.
The main purpose of our first PLTF produced in 2002 was to guide and direct
land transport planning and implementation in the province by providing a
framework for preparation of Integrated Transport Plans (ITPs) required from
planning authorities by the NLTTA. After completion of ITPs by the six district
municipalities and the metro in the 2005/06 financial year, the department
embarked on the process of updating the PLTF in the 2006/07 financial year to
incorporate the information obtained from the ITPs.
The Provincial Transport summit held in East London from 20-21 April 2006,
which was attended by over 600 delegates from 105 organisations and
institutions, provided an ideal opportunity for input from our stakeholders and
recommendations from the summit have been incorporated into the updated
PLTF.
On that note, Madam Speaker, I would like to inform this House that
according to the National Department of Transport, the Eastern Cape is the
first province in the country to have completed its updated PLTF.
This framework was one of the key planning documents used by the department
to prepare an Integrated Roads and Transport Master Plan (tabled here today) as
a first attempt to integrate the infrastructure asset requirements following
the merger of the roads function with transport to form the combined Department
of Roads and Transport.
The plan also includes the transport related infrastructure, not directly
the responsibility of the department, so that we may be in a better position to
work together as different authorities for the betterment of transportation in
the province. The plan will be reviewed on an annual basis as part of the
department's strategic plan to take account of new and updated data and service
delivery requirements.
Honourable Members, the Taxi Recapitalisation Project is progressing very
well in our province. We were the third province to launch the process of
scrapping old and unsafe taxi vehicles. Since 14 December 2006, 714 vehicles
have been brought to the Provincial Scrapping Centre in Zwelitsha for scrapping
purposes and 527 operators have already received their incentive of R50 000 per
operator. This figure translates to well over R26 million that has been paid
out to taxi operators.
In terms of MINMEC resolutions, as provinces we are required to assist the
taxi industry in the transformation process which is aimed at fast-tracking the
recapitalisation programme. In this regard, the department has allocated R2
million in the 2006/07 and again another R2 million during the 2007/08 to the
provincial South African National Taxi Association Council (SANTACO) structure
for their professionalisation through setting up offices in all six districts.
An agreement for reporting and accounting purposes has been signed between the
provincial SANTACO structure and the department.
Madam Speaker, in our midst we have the newly-elected provincial leadership
of SANTACO led by Mr Goqoza.
We are co-operating with the Department of Labour in rolling out a project
whereby taxi drivers will be working for salaries and in eight hour shifts.
This project will bring socio-economic security to the families of such
employees together with the stability in the public transport industry and
completely transform public transport.
To ensure that we remove unroadworthy public transport vehicles from our
roads (taxis, buses), the department has trained and appointed 25 Road
Transportation Inspectors, focusing on public transport operations. These
inspectors have been deployed in all our districts and we will continue to
appoint more inspectors when more funds are available in the outer financial
years as reflected in our department organisational structure.
With the declaration of Port Elizabeth as the main venue for 2010 FIFA World
Cup, and East London and Mthatha as possible training or base camps, it means
that we need to accelerate the provision of transport infrastructure that would
meet world-class standards.
In an effort to concretise our integrated public transport strategy, the
department will host a summit on Public Transport Readiness for 2010 at Port
Elizabeth in October 2007. I would like to extend an invitation to all
Honourable Members to this summit.
With regard to the establishment of Africa's Best 350, a single legal entity
established by small bus operators, the department has decided to implement
this project in three phases over the next three years.
The first 55 buses will arrive on 1 July 2007 and will be distributed to the
Alfred Nzo and OR Tambo districts. This means 21 more routes will be opened,
which have not been operated in the recent past. It will further enhance the
access of the communities to job opportunities, health and education centres
and other trip generators by more than 25% compared to what it is today. This
phase will demand a subsidy of R30 million.
The second phase will take off in April 2008 with 56 buses that will be
distributed to the Amathole and Chris Hani districts. The last phase of
distribution of another 55 buses is expected in April 2009 with more buses for
the Alfred Nzo and OR Tambo districts.
When all three phases of 166 routes are implemented, the subsidy would
amount to approximately R73 million per annum and I would like the Honourable
MEC for Finance to take note of this fact for the future.
The process of restructuring Mayibuye Transport Corporation so that it can
become a viable corporation is progressing well. As part of the restructuring
of the corporation, I have appointed a new Board of Directors under the
Chairpersonship of Mr PLC Maseti and I would like to welcome him and his Board
here today. I am also tabling the strategic plan and Annual Performance Plan of
Mayibuye here today.
The department is engaged in discussions with the Buffalo City Municipality
with the view to integrate Mayibuye's services with that of Buffalo City to
improve the viability and sustainability of the service. All this will be done
in terms of the Buffalo City Public Transport Plan.
The allocation to Mayibuye for 2007/08 amounts to R32,565 million which
includes a further amount of R5 million, ring-fenced for capital expenditure.
The main aim of the capital funding is to upgrade the bus fleet of the
corporation. During October Transport Month in 2006, we launched seven new
Mayibuye buses plus 10 auxiliary vehicles which were purchased from the capital
funding provided to the Corporation last year.
The department is intimately involved with the restructuring of public
transport within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipal area in terms of their public
transport plan. In broad terms this project entails close co-operation between
Algoa Bus Company, Small Bus Operators in the area and the taxi industry. All
the relevant parties are participating in this initiative.
Honourable Members, with regard to civil aviation I am humbled to inform
this house about the progress that we have made in our efforts to restructure
our Bhisho and Mthatha Airports and our airstrips through the Blue Skyway
Aviation Strategy.
The objectives of this strategy are:
* to ensure adherence to the National Policy (White Paper on Civil Aviation
of March 2005), where it is stated that government should not be involved with
operating airports, but should encourage private sector involvement.
Government, however, remains responsible for ensuring that airports contribute
to the socio-economic development of the area
* to reduce the financial cost on the provincial government
* to enhance usage of our airports
* involve the private sector, particularly the small-medium and micro
enterprises (SMMEs), by outsourcing services or airport's management.
The presence of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Air Wing has already
improved movements and activities at the Bhisho Airport. Since the launch of
the Blue Skyway Aviation Strategy in October 2006, the movements have improved
at the airport from an average of 13 movements to 67 per month.
Furthermore, 43 Air School which is based at Port Alfred is expanding its
training programme to Bhisho Airport. On that note Madam Speaker, I would like
to welcome the management of the school and some of its trainee pilots to this
house today.
Honourable Members, as a result of this move we are busy renovating and
upgrading of airport. A complete renovation and upgrading of this facility is
estimated to cost the Department R68 million over the Medium Term Expenditure
Framework (MTEF). Working with our provincial Department of Public Works, a
contractor is already on site and the upgrade of this airport is expected
within 24 months.
Mthatha Airport is currently being evaluated by the national Department of
Environmental Affairs and Tourism with a view of upgrading it for tourism
purposes. Consultants have been appointed and we are waiting for them to
complete their work. The department has purchased two new fire engines worth
R2,5 million to improve the emergency capacity of the airport and to apply for
Category six licence in order to attract larger aircraft, as it is currently a
Category four Licence. This year, we will further procure two ambulances for
the two airports as per Civil Aviation Regulations.
In an effort to promote aviation in the rural areas of our province, the
department will increase its focus on the development of municipal and rural
airstrips. To this end, Ndlambe Municipality will be assisted with R8 million
over two years to upgrade the runway at Port Alfred. The Senqu Municipality
will be assisted with the development of an airstrip at Rhodes to the value of
R2 million.
Madam Speaker, today I am happy to announce that Kei Rail Passenger Service
operations will be launched on 29 March 2007 and I would like to invite all
Honourable Members to that important function, which will be held in
Butterworth. It will cost commuters R25 each to travel between East London and
Mthatha on Fridays and Sundays.
In the near future, this passenger service will feature a services train
concept (similar to Phelophepha), whereby clinical or medical services, dental
care and optometric services as well as other government services, will be
offered. Commuters will access government information, including social grants
registration, etc.
The freight service, which is a major reason for the revitalisation of the
line, is expected to commence in 2008. Presently, the department is engaged in
discussions with possible investors on that particular service. This coming
year, the department will spend R27 million on the Kei Rail line. Of this
amount R6 million will be spent on operations and R21 million on track
maintenance.
We will further investigate and partially implement a daily service from
Viedgesville to Mthatha on the Kei Rail line. This will be a daily commuter
service for the Mthatha Area.
Honourable members, this year will see a lot of rail projects starting in
this province, including the development of a Provincial Rail Plan, which will
guide us in our Back to Rail Strategy this year. The department has allocated
R4 million for this plan, which will look at the possibility of linking Kokstad
and Mthatha by rail and introduction of rail passenger services to the Western
Suburbs of Port Elizabeth and services into KwaZakhele before the 2010 World
Cup.
We are still engaged in discussions with the South African Rail Commuter
Corporation (SARCC) concerning the Motherwell loop in order to have it in
operation well before the 2010 event. The link between Kokstad and Mthatha will
be investigated as a rapid rail link which will ultimately allow a link between
East London and Durban within the next 10 years.
All the lines within the Eastern Cape province will be investigated for
their tourism potential. A task team has already been set up to look at the
terms of reference for the service provider to assist us in this Rail Tourism
Plan. We are investigating the possibility of introducing a train tourism
service further up the Langkloof and in Somerset East and Graaf-Reinnet.
These projects will ultimately create the well required job
opportunities.
We have allocated R10 million for the upgrading of the Narrow Gauge line
(Port Elizabeth Avontuur) as we intend to commence the operations in 2008. This
year, the department, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, including the
Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, will ensure that we bring
back the Great Train Race in this line.
The department has further allocated R4,8 million for the revival of the
East London�Alice passenger service. Of this amount, R1,8 million will be used
for train operations and R3 million for infrastructure rehabilitation,
including construction of stations.
This service is expected to start in June 2007, but it will be preceded by a
passenger service targeting civil servants between East London and King
Williams Town, which will be launched on 10 April 2007.
We will further embark on a Rolling Stock Refurbishment Process and the
following budget has been allocated:
* locomotives � R6 million
* coaches � R6 million
* wagons � R6 million.
The department is also committed, through its back to rail strategy, towards
the Kei Development Corridor. In this regard, the role that is played by the
East London Port is critically important for the seamless integration of the
first and second economies of this region. The department, in the next
financial year, will actively support the Port expansion in East London.
The department will continue with its objective of enhancing the use of
non-motorised transport in the Province especially in the remote and marginal
rural areas that are inaccessible by conventional motorised transport.
This will be achieved through:
* promotion of non-motorised infrastructure
* distribution of non-motorised mode of transport � 5 000 bicycles worth R5
million, six animal drawn wagons worth R2,3 million.
Further research on appropriate non-motorised technology to alleviate
provincial needs will be explored.
Programme four: Traffic management
Honourable Members, in order to assess the safety of our roads, road safety
audits are carried out each year on different roads. We planned to audit 200
kilometres of surfaced roads in 2006 and in fact audited 236 kilometres on the
R330, R331, R51, R396 and R397. A further 250 kilometres will be audited in the
next financial year.
Over the years some of the speed limits posted on provincial roads have been
questioned. We have a programme of checking speed limits for their
applicability. In 2006 we intended to check 500 kilometres of road but in fact
assessed 1 055 kilometres. In 2007 we intend to check a further 500 kilometres
and implement changes where necessary.
Madam Speaker, road signs are vital for warning and regulating traffic, but
also for assisting motorists in navigating safely to their destinations. In
recent years, a series of tourism routes have been signposted. We completed the
Wild Coast Jikeleza route and assisted the Amathole Heritage Initiative in
designing their four heritage routes last year. Road signs have been replaced
on an ad hoc basis in the past, but in the new financial year a sign
replacement programme will commence along the provincial routes. Furthermore,
we will work with the Mbashe Municipality which requested assistance with their
heritage tourism signs.
As intended, a network of 21 permanent traffic counters were constructed
during 2006 at a cost of R1,2 million and these are all operational. Together
with these, 180 short term counts were carried out. Along with the permanent
stations, a further 200 short term counts will be done in the new year as part
of our programme to know the volumes of traffic using our roads.
Madam Speaker, road safety continues to be a major challenge in our
province. A number of new initiatives are planned for the new financial year in
conjunction with private partners. We will embark on a road safety project,
which entails erecting a minimum of 150 signs with specific road safety
messages along the R61 from Port St Johns to Port Edward. This will be a pilot
route and we intend to roll out the programme to all provincial routes where
accidents are occurring.
In order to build Road Safety capacity and improve service delivery, we will
engage youth and offer a learnership programme for 37 students that will be
recruited in all six districts within the province.
As a way of expanding the Maths and Science project, we will pilot a learner
driver education project for Grade 12 learners so that when they leave school
they already possess the required basic skills to be competent drivers with
proper attitudes for driving on a public road.
Honourable Members, last year I indicated that the department intended to
construct a Vehicle Testing Station at Mount Frere. We will be officially
handing over this facility to Umzimvubu Municipality on 23 March 2007.
At Lusikisiki, a site has been handed over to a contractor for the
construction of another Vehicle Testing Station and this is expected to be
completed by March 2008 at a cost of R8,1 million. Two Grade E Drivers Licence
Testing Centres were registered in 2006 and are now operational. These are at
Intsika Yethu and the Sundays River Municipalities. In the coming financial
year, we will upgrade testing centres in Elliot, Peddie and Sterkspruit at a
cost of R6 million.
Honourable Members would recall that last year I reported that the South
African Post Office had opened 31 outlets within the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro
for the registration of Motor Vehicles. Today, I am pleased to report that
revenue collection from this area has improved tremendously since the transfer
of this function from the Municipality to the Post Office.
As a result, I intend to expand the use of the Post Office for motor vehicle
registrations and licensing utilising a Best Practice Model in conjunction with
Business Against Crime to another two Registering Authorities in the province
this year. This Best Practice Model is to be incorporated and inclusion of
Batho Pele Principles will be in the service level agreements that the
department will renew with all registering authorities as from 1st April 2007.
Improved service delivery will be monitored on a regular basis.
The National Traffic Information System (NaTIS) Helpdesk has been
restructured to conform with this Best Practice Model. Staffs have been
trained, an additional nine personnel have been appointed and the operations
have improved. A training and security officer has been appointed to improve
service to the public.
Honourable Members, traffic law enforcement is one of the critical
prerequisites in order to provide safe passage for road users in this province,
especially now that we are preparing for 2010.
Last year, I reported that thirty new traffic officers had assumed duties.
Today, I am glad to report that with the addition of another 42 officers the
staff complement is now up to 383. An additional 50 bursary holders are
currently undergoing training which will be completed by the end of June
2007.
Madam Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the presence of 34 new female
traffic officers, who received bursaries from the department and joined us in
December 2006. More bursaries will be allocated to another 50 trainee traffic
officers due to commence training in July 2007.
In pursuit of law enforcement, I am glad to report that we have increased
the number of our speed measuring devices from 48 to 54. We intend to buy a
further 24 speed measuring devices.
In addition to these, we have purchased 12 breath alcohol testers worth R960
000. An additional three K78 trailers equipped with road block resources
brought this number up to twelve at R647 000. Another eight of these equipped
trailers will be purchased in the new year. Six trailers of portable vehicle
weighing screeners and six prolaser speed checking devices have been
ordered.
With regard to our arrive alive campaign during the last festive season, in
general, the campaign has been labelled as a success on both national and
provincial levels due to co-operation between the different role players.
However, our province experienced several serious crashes with 96 fatalities
in December 2006 and January 2007 compared to the 90 for the previous year, an
increase of six. A total of 343 accidents were recorded as compared to 282 for
the previous year, an increase of 21.
In the coming year the Arrive Alive Plan will endeavour to provide a
seamless, national enforcement plan that responds to the demands of prevailing
circumstances in an effective way.
The focal areas will be:
* driver fitness with emphasis on their documentation
* fatigue and alcohol abuse
* moving violations including illegal use of cell phones while driving
* passenger and freight transport
* vehicle fitness and registration plate enforcement
* pedestrian safety.
There will also be media campaigns with more emphasis on the use of seat
belts, especially rear belts.
The department will purchase a booze bus to prosecute drunken drivers.
Programme five: Sakha Isizwe Community-Based Transportation Programme
Madam Speaker, last year I indicated that the Department of Roads and
Transport would set-up a new Programme called Community Based Transportation
with a budget of R84,5 million. This programme is in line with the Provincial
Growth and Development Plan, Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South
Africa (AsgiSA) and EPWP objectives, which include skills acquisition through
empowerment of communities, poverty alleviation and emerging contractor
development, among others.
The Programme is now known as Sakha Isizwe Community-Based Transportation
Programme.
Out of R84,5 million stated above, R48 million was distributed among the six
districts of the province for job creation on EPWP projects. As a result 1 759
people were employed temporarily, of which 760 of them were women, 596 youth
and three persons who are physically challenged.
The remainder of the R84,5 million was spent on the following
programmes:
* Sakha Isizwe Household Contractors (1 995 Household Contractors)
* Urban Renewal Programme (Motherwell, Mdantsane and Ngangelizwe)
* Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (Umzimkhulu which will be
handed over to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in the new financial year).
Honourable Members, the main aim of Sakha Isizwe Community Based
Transportation Programme is to institutionalise and guarantee a more balanced
transportation system throughout the Eastern Cape Province, and at the same
time, to create new work and business opportunities for the disadvantaged
communities.
To achieve the above, Sakha Isizwe Community Based Transportation has the
following projects to implement during the new financial year 2007/08:
* transportation forums
* upscaling of EPWP projects in the roads sector
* Sakha Isizwe household contractors
* Sakha Isizwe Learnership Programme in the transport sector
* alternative means of roads surfacing
* impact assessment of projects.
Honourable members, in the new financial year the department will revive the
inactive Transportation Forums as well as establishing new ones where they do
not exist. Through the establishment of Transport Forums, the department
recognises that the vast majority of South Africans, especially rural and
peri-urban people, encounter serious barriers to participation in programmes
that could result in their social and economic upliftment.
Madam Speaker and the Honourable members, I am happy to announce that this
department has successfully canvassed and subsequently acquired additional
funding totalling R96,88 million for Scaling up of EPWP projects in the roads
sector through submission of a business plan to national government. This
amount is for 2007/08 financial year and provision will be made for the two
outer years as well. This allocation is in response to AsgiSA and second
economy intervention in that it addresses job massification.
Through this allocation the department will be able to strike a balance
between the neglected poorly serviced lower order roads and both provincial and
national roads.
With a total amount of R80,6 million, the following capital projects will be
implemented in the next financial year using the 'upscaling' approach:
Madwaleni Hospital Road, 13 km, R5 million
Zithulele Hospital Road (1st Phase), 10,5km, R20 million
Transkei Quarries, 3,2km, R10 million
Greenville Access Road, 13km, R7 million
Winterstrand, 4,5km, to be done next year
Mngqesha Great Place, 3km, R5 million
Debe Nek to Glenmore Road Project (1st Phase), 63km, R16,3 million
Nonkcampa to Zalara; Gobozana T-junction to Dimbaza Road, 42km, R2
million
Stutterheim via Mgwali to Tsomo Road Project (1st Phase), 90km, R0,3
million
Qacha's Nek, R8 million
Urban Renewal Lusikisiki, R7 million
With a total amount of R16,28 million, the following Sakha-Isizwe Routine
Road Maintenance Programme using the 'upscaling' approach is as follows:
OR Tambo 535km: R3 million
Amathole 640km: R3 million
Chris Hani 278km: R3 million
Ukhahlamba 49km: R1,7 million
Alfred Nzo 418km: R3 million
Cacadu 350km: R2,58 million
Madam Speaker, this project has been operating in five districts in the
current financial year with 1 995 household contractors. It will be extended to
the sixth district which is Cacadu and it will increase the number to 5 000
household contractors for 2007/08 financial year. Present here today is a
sample of the household contractors.
Honourable Members, the Learnership Programme has been developed to build
capacity (Business and Professional / Technical skills) among the emerging
contractors to execute the increasing amount of labour intensive work that
should be part of EPWP:
* Sakha Isizwe learnership programme responds to PGDP, EPWP and Accelerated
and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA)
* contributes to addressing the skills shortages in the country thereby giving
effect to AsgiSA
* is a practical and empowering method to impart theory to a learner and at the
same time provides the person with opportunity to gain work experience.
The learnerships referred to above are at level NQF Level 2 (Business
Skills) and NQF Level 4 (Technical Supervision) of labour intensive methods of
construction in civil engineering field.
Madam Speaker, out of Sakha Isizwe Learnership Programme the following has
been achieved:
* establishment of 10 learner contractors and 20 supervisors in the
following nodal areas
* Mdantsane Township Zone 15 near East London
* Ngangelizwe Township in Mthatha
* the programme is linked to the contractor grading system of the Construction
Industry Development Board (CIDB), thus encouraging and supporting small
contractors to emerge into medium sized firms (respond to SMMEs)
* Sakha Isizwe Learnership Programme has managed to recruit 100% (30)
historically disadvantaged individuals, 100% (30) youth and more than 60% (18)
female learner contractors
* although the learners are concentrated into Urban Renewal nodal areas (i.e.
Mdantsane and Ngangelizwe Townships), the learners themselves have been
selected from different areas of the province
* 220 temporary jobs have been created within this programme during the 2006/07
financial year
* this programme has created access to finance, thus facilitating development
for financial track-record for the learners through ABSA. The department has a
memorandum of understanding with ABSA, to continue with financial support and
advice to the existing learners
* the department entered into a four months negotiated contracts with the
current learnerships amounting to R8,7 million for 2006/07 for work
experience.
Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to this
House the beneficiaries of our learnership programme. While the Programme
continues with the current learnerships, we plan to identify 45 new learners,
who would be spread proportionally throughout the province.
Madam Speaker, in view of the high costs of surfacing roads, as well as the
fact that appropriate materials to use as a base course in the surfacing of
roads are running out, the department has decided to explore alternative cost
effective methods of roads construction and maintenance by making use of soil
stabilisers. This will be piloted at Eludondolo Irrigation Scheme access road
in Mbhashe Local Municipality near Dutywa. All technical requirements regarding
the pilot roll-out have been completed and the contractor is on site.
Honourable Members, the department has noted the number of drowning
incidents that occurred at various locations in the province.
We are currently reviewing a number of options, namely:
* providing boats to cross rivers
* providing pedestrian crossing over the rivers.
We will pilot the first option in Port St Johns with two boats that would
service the Mzimvubu River crossing. The second option will be piloted in the
same area and Kei Lands in Cofimvaba with an amount of R6 million (with R3
million each).
Madam Speaker and the Honourable members, with all the good intensions about
the programmes stated above, without assessing impact, all efforts become in
vain. To address this situation the department is in the process of developing
an impact assessment tool which will be used to assess the impact both
socially, economically and otherwise.
The Programme plans to identify Further Education and Training (FET)
colleges to develop and offer accredited technical, labour intensive methods of
construction as well as business training programmes that will be offered at
our Centres of Excellence (widely known as Construction Units) in Graaff-Reinet
and Grahamstown.
Madam Speaker, I table here today, the following documents:
1. My policy speech 2007/08
2. The revised Strategic Plan and APP for the department
3. Mayibuye Transport Corporation's strategic plan and Annual Performance
Plan
4. The Standards Manual and Service Delivery Improvement Plan of the
department
5. The Integrated Roads and Transport Infrastructure Master Plan.
Issued by: Department of Roads and Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial
Government
15 March 2007
