Government has big plans for transport sector
October is Transport Month: The government's month-long programme will "showcase transport infrastructure projects, promote the use of public transport and advance the country’s road safety initiatives".
October was declared Transport Month in 2005 during the Transport Lekgotla.
This year Transport Month will be hosted under the theme: “Together we move South Africa Forward”.
Government’s Nine-Point Plan
Government has committed to investing in the transport sector which is part of its Nine-Point Plan to stimulate development and create jobs. Its public transport investments “are part of building and operating an integrated public transport network across the country”.
Rail to be backbone of transport system
Rail infrastructure is set to become the backbone of passenger and freight transport systems.
Public transport is essential for growing the economy. This in turn is critical for poverty alleviation and environmental issues in reducing both carbon emissions and fuel consumption largely caused by road transport.
More than 60 percent of households spend an average of 20 percent of their monthly income on transport. In rural areas it can go up to 31 percent. This despite state subsidies to public transport operators increasing annually.
The 35th Southern African Transport Conference (SATC)
The annual Southern African Transport Conference (SATC) is Africa’s premier transport conference where leading international and local transport professionals engage on key issues facing the African transport sector.
This year the conference took place from 4 to 7 July. It focused on how transport can improve socio-economic challenges under the theme “Transport – a catalyst for socio-economic growth development opportunities to improve quality of life”.
Co2 emissions: Where does Africa stand?
Keynote speaker at the conference, Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters said transport accounts for about 60 percent of global oil consumption, 27 percent of all energy use and 23 percent of the world’s Co2 (carbon dioxide) emissions.
Millions of deaths globally linked to road transport
More than 1, 2 million people are killed and up to 50 million are injured on the world’s roads every year and the low and middle-income countries account for 90 percent of the deaths although they own just half the world’s motor vehicles. Urban air pollution, largely linked to transport, also kills an estimated 800 000 people each year.
Government projects in the pipeline
SATC Programme Director, Professor Wynand Steyn said Transnet Freight Rail infrastructure represents about 80 percent of Africa’s total rail network. Transnet has undertaken a major capital investment programme worth R336 billion with an operating expenditure of over R420 billion.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) controls a passenger rail network of 22 300 km, with a current investment programme of R51 billion on its modernization programme which is set to deliver 600 new trains over 10 years.
New passenger trains from Brazil launched
Five sets of passenger trains have been delivered from Brazil to Wolmerton Rail Depot North of Pretoria. These trains will enter service in October.
New rail manufacturing factory
Prof. Steyn said Prasa has started the construction of a new R1 billion Rail Manufacturing Factory in Dunnottar Park, East of Johannesburg. It is through this Rail Manufacturing Factory that South Africa has been mandated through the African Union to be the Rail Manufacturing Hub for the Continent.
SATS? Transnet? SARCC? PRASA? What’s the deal?
Historically, road and rail based passenger services in South Africa were provided by the South African Transport Services (SATS), a state-owned entity. But from April 1990, these functions became the responsibility of Transnet Limited and the South African Rail Commuter Corporation Limited (SARCC), with the former responsible for long-distance road and rail passenger services and the latter taking care of commuter rail services. Over the years new divisions and subsidiaries were formed to manage different areas of the sector, but the lack of clarity between the groups led to issues that ultimately impacted the maintenance of the railways.
In an attempt to “transform public transport in South Africa”, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) was formed in 2009. It’s envisioned purpose was to “consolidate all of the passenger rail entities to better manage and aggressively address the under-performance of rail passenger services into something more modern, efficient and customer-focused as well as to champion some much needed investment in the sector”.
