By Nozipho Dlamini
Government has set aside R3.8 billion for public transport infrastructure
for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, said Transport Minister Jeff Radebe.
“The eyes of the world are on us as we accelerate our preparations for
the 2010 Fifa World Cup,” said Radebe, addressing the Transport Indaba
in Soweto on Sunday 22 October.
He said a 2010 Transport Action Agenda had already been developed and the
World Cup Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems Fund had allocated the
first round of funding to municipalities.
“The success of this event is dependent mainly on our ability to provide
world-class infrastructure and systems that will be enjoyed by all South Africans
well beyond 2010,” he said.
Radebe added that an additional R5 billion expenditure per annum was required
to address current decline in service levels and to implement their strategy
over the next 10-15 years.
“Our transport plan will ensure efficient and safe transportation for
all visitors but most importantly it will ensure sufficient air, road and
rail transport operators and infrastructure to accommodate the event,”
he said.
In addition the department is currently engaged in detailing the World Cup
development programme and some of the key thrusts of the programme include
calling for project proposals from host municipalities in order to allocate
funds for 2007/08 onwards.
The programme will also oversee the overall programme management and interdepartmental
coordination on World Cup development and allow structured communication and
coordination with all stakeholders in transport sector to ensure overall coordination
for transport readiness and delivering a legacy of improvement.
The department has already started implementing some of the transport projects.
The R241 million has already been allocated to the host municipalities and
a further R700 million will be allocated during the current financial year.
“The success of our initiatives depends solely on your fully support.
We must do more to embed this at the heart of our discussions,” he told
delegates.
This transport indaba is expected to consolidate these initiatives and take
forward decisively a successful Public Transport Plan which truly complements
the country’s economy.
Minister Radebe said the department’s public transport strategy would
enable the achievement of a sustainable mass rapid public transport system.
“We are going to ensure the promotion of a growing public transport
sector that is able to meet the needs of current and new users and is able
to deliver functioning intermodal systems.
“It is our firm belief that the emphasis needs to be placed on transforming
the semi-formal operators into an integrated system that is planned and well
managed by the public sector while being operated by the existing private
operators,” he said.
The department’s strategic aim is to work with the existing operators
and existing road and rail infrastructure, in order to re-organise and upgrade
operations into a high quality integrated network.
This will allow existing operators and their workforce to have a guaranteed
stake in a new mass rapid transit network and will ensure improved revenues
for operators and service delivery for users and government, said the minister.
Read more
