provincial launch of the Transport Month in Mafikeng
2 October 2007
Programme Director
MEC Vilakazi
Councillors
Commissioner Beetha
Ladies and gentlemen
Let me start by expressing my sense of gratitude to be with you this
morning. It is my great pleasure that we are gathered here to give due
recognition to the importance of partnerships in our campaign to transform the
transport service in our province and in the country. The transport sector is
increasingly becoming one of the best engines for economic growth and social
development. The rate at which our economy is growing, the increased investment
in the economy and the ever-increasing influx of international visitors and the
booming industrial development is a visible warning that our transport services
and infrastructure should match this growth.
Over the past 13 years, South Africa has been host to many international
events. We are glad to have been selected to host the 2010 Fifa Soccer World
Cup. We are working hard as the provincial government to ensure that our
transport services will be in order come 2010. But we are working on a
permanent solution to our transport challenges which will last beyond 2010. As
government we are determined to accelerate economic growth, work opportunities,
transform our public transport services and infrastructure and therefore fight
poverty and unemployment.
The national government has decided to have Transport Month as an annual
campaign, starting as a Public Transport Month in October 2005 and growing in
scope over the past two years to become an all-inclusive Transport Month. The
key objective of Transport Month is to champion the need for speedy
transformation of public transport and non-motorised transport service. Public
transport and walking are currently used by a substantial majority of our
people in the province and throughout the country.
According to the results of the National Household Travel Survey, about 4,5
million workers and learners use a car to work or school while 21 million
workers and learners use public transport or walk. Therefore, the aim of
Transport Month must be to shift the focus of the passenger transport sector
away from middle class suburban car users and towards ensuring affordable and
sustainable mobility for all, in both rural and urban areas. This shift in
focus of car use is aimed at promoting other modes of transport in line with
international best practices of both developed and developing countries.
We have identified the need for more aggressive championing of public
transport in the province and in the country. In addition, we believe visible
champions of this kind of campaign are required, given the fact that over 80%
of South Africa's households lack access to a private use of car and rely on
public and non-motorised transport.
The key objectives of the campaign are to:
* raise awareness of the important role and benefits of public and
non-motorised transport in the economy and society
* ensure popular participation in and partnerships for public transport
transformation
* showcase government's initiatives for immediate improvements in the transport
service in general;
* prepare the mindset of our people to use all other available modes of
transport in all areas
* highlight the shortcomings in public transport, in particular and the lack of
frequent public transport services in the most rural areas of the
province.
This week, we will be promoting various modes of transport, including aviation
through the Mafikeng International Airshow. During the second week, that is
next week, we will be promoting public transport in the form of a special rail
ride from here to Vryburg. We will also reflect on the progress we have made in
transforming the public transport sector, especially the taxi industry.
During the third week, we will be showcasing our progress in infrastructure
development by opening one of our newly-constructed roads at Mabalstad. The
last week of the Transport Month will focus on non-motorised transport and we
will be engaged in a bike ride in Mafikeng and donate about 200 bicycles to the
needy communities in the province. Ladies and gentlemen, the promotion of road
safety and education coupled with effective law enforcement has a long way to
go to promote a culture of sharing of space and tolerance among road users.
For this reason, we will also intensify our law-enforcement strategy along
our roads by deploying as many traffic officers and police as possible. By the
way, today we are also unveiling a new for our traffic officers. Previously, we
have identified key challenges facing public transport users such as the
persistence of the apartheid spatial legacy and long distance commuting
patterns, the lack of rural public transport services, the lack of significant
upgrading of public transport infrastructure, and the lack of safe and user
friendly pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
We want to encourage all spheres of government, civil society organisations
and the business community to work together to promote and implement safe and
increased levels of use of various modes of transport, including non-motorised
transport like bicycles and animal-drawn carts. It is therefore very important
that we have come here today to re-commit ourselves to realising the goal of a
better transport system for our province. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA)
has highlighted the plight of developing communities as well as the significant
potential for low cost mobility solutions.
They indicated that:
* eighty percent of South Africans depend on public transport
* about 50 percent of South African population lives in rural areas
* seventy-two percent of rural population are poor.
Taking into account the amount of financial investments required to improve
the transportation system whilst there are competing priorities, there is no
doubt that the use of non-motorised transport is a viable alternative,
especially in rural areas. Some of the deep rural parts of our province are
still inaccessible by means of conventional transport system. As a result,
communities have for many years relied on animal-drawn carts to access schools,
clinics, pension pay points and all other social services as the only
alternative means of transport to walking long distances. Ladies and gentlemen,
with those few words, I wish you well in this programme.
I thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
2 October 2007
