Transport
8 June 2007
As the transport family we continue to uphold transport as the heartbeat of
our economic development and social investment. Our road and rail networks
continue to be the backbone of our economy. It is therefore logical that our
duty should be to ensure that we preserve and protect these networks to propel
our economy to greater heights.
Our capital expenditure on road networks has increased over the years. In
the current Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period we are investing
R5,5 billion for the development and preservation of our National Road
Infrastructure. It is also our responsibility to ensure that our road network
is not forced to carry more than it can as it has always been the case in the
past years.
According to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the
road damage caused by heavy vehicle overloading has been estimated to cost the
economy more than R600 to R800 million per annum.
This results to increased hazards on our roads and huge implications in
terms of turnaround time and cargo throughput thereby increasing the cost of
doing business in our country.
Current reality
Our current reality as government is that we are confronted with various
forms of overloading such as repeat overloading by the same operators and
severe overloading up to and beyond 100%. So far we have 104 weighbridges
throughout the country and heavy vehicle operators have also become experts in
the practice over time. Some are budgeting for admission of guilt fines in the
event of being caught. And they are also studying escape routes to inform the
selection of routes for cargo transport and in some instances they use backup
vehicles to offload when caught and reload upon release.
National Overload Control Strategy (NOCS)
This situation cannot continue unpunished and it has to stop. The question
is, how? My Department, in close co-operation with the provincial road traffic
authorities has developed and is currently implementing the NOCS to protect our
road infrastructure, to improve road safety and to ensure seamless movement of
cargo. We have set aside more than R20 million to implement this strategy which
is also in line with our Road Safety Strategy, the Infrastructure Strategic
Framework for Roads and the Freight Logistics Strategy.
Our main focus is to improve weighbridge infrastructure which involves the
development and upgrading of overload control infrastructure in strategic
locations across our road network.
Through the National Road Traffic Act, we are investigating ways of
extending the liability for overloading beyond operators and ensure that cargo
consignors and consignees take ownership and face the full might of the law. We
have also reviewed the 5% tolerance to 2% of the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) in
line with the recommendations of a weighbridge survey that was conducted during
the development of the National Overload Control Strategy.
Inroads are being made within the insurance industry to brand over loaders
as high risk and for them to carry steep insurance premiums in an effort to
discourage overloading.
Both the departments of transport and justice are also upgrading the
guidelines for public prosecution in order to elevate the profile of
overloading offences and to ensure stiff penalties for offenders.
We have also developed guidelines in co-operation with the South African
Bureau of Standards (SABS) as part of the promotion of self-regulation in the
heavy vehicle industry which is intended to foster a partnership to ensure
proper load management, vehicle roadworthiness and driver fitness.
Guidelines are already in place for the training of law enforcement officers
to ensure that they are adequately qualified and trained to execute overload
control effectively. This includes the improvement of training material at
traffic colleges as well as the upgrading of operational manuals for overload
control.
My Department is currently conducting research on various options of
introducing portable weighing equipment to continuously improve this technology
in order to offer desired accuracies for not only heavy vehicle screening but
also for prosecution purposes.
A new administrative fee will be introduced in the near future over and
above traffic fines for damage caused on the roads. The intention is to strike
a balance between the amount of damage that heavy vehicles inflict on the road
network and the fines imposed on overloading culprits.
Concrete projects
In order to accelerate the implementation of our National Overload Control
Strategy we are already implementing specific projects throughout the country.
Our priority is to upgrade provincial weighbridge infrastructure and
particularly to target offenders who are using the provincial road network as
alternative routes to avoid weighbridges.
We have also begun with a self-regulation initiative in partnership with the
private sector. We have particularly started the implementation of this
initiative with the timber industry and we intend to expand into other
industries. And currently we are looking in the direction of coal, paper and
pulp industries.
We are also in the process of establishing a special overload control unit
which will target the worst over loaders in South Africa both in terms of
severe overloading and repeat overloading.
This unit will use mobile load control units which can be deployed anywhere
with weighing scales to enable 93 on the spot 94 charging and also producing
evidence that will be admissible in court for prosecutions.
Launch of Donkerhoek Traffic Control Centre (TCC)
The centre we are launching today is a clear demonstration of the promotion
of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) as part of increasing the role of the
private sector in the provision of overload control infrastructure and the
supply of hi-tech equipment for overload control operations.
The Donkerhoek TCC is just but one of many initiatives being introduced to
preserve our road network. This is the last traffic control centre facility on
the section of the N4 between Pretoria and the Republic of South
Africa/Mozambique border. Overloading in this area is standing at 30 to 35%. In
the network comprising of the N4, the R25 and R104 the average daily truck
traffic is 2 500. This means that about 850 trucks are overloaded in this
corridor on a daily basis.
At other similar facilities such as Heidelberg and further east on the N4
overloading was at similar levels and with the introduction of these modern,
technologically advanced facilities levels of overloading have been reduced to
1%. I have no doubt that this facility will be similarly successful.
This facility is also a concrete example of good co-operative governance and
partnerships. The Gauteng Department of Community Safety has provided the law
enforcement resources, while the South African National Roads Agency Limited
(SANRAL) has procured the construction of this facility and the services of the
operator.
This centre will be operated by the Concessionaire Trans African Concessions
(TRAC), giving them a direct interest in the road for which they are
responsible.
I can also assure you that in this facility we have installed the best
screening equipment inside the toll lanes at the Diamond Hill toll plaza. All
heavy vehicles are compelled to drive through the screened lane to check for
possible overloading and if detected the vehicles are redirected to this
centre. This facility also has a vehicle testing facility for vehicle fitness.
And drivers will also undergo a basic eyesight, alcohol and drug test.
Distinguished guests, we cannot allow billions of investment on the road
infrastructure to be flashed down the drain due to overloading. The time is now
for all stakeholders to act as a collective in improving self regulation but
also in dealing with habitual offenders, once and for all.
I thank the timber industry for their forthright participation and look
forward to other consignees joining this initiative to preserve and make our
roads safer. I also thank the Gauteng province and our law enforcement officers
for their dedication and commitment to make our roads safe.
I thank you!
Issued by: Department of Transport
8 June 2007
Source: SAPA
