National Council of Provinces - 31 May 2006
WEDNESDAY, 31 MAY 2006 __
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
____
The Council met at 14:00.
House Chairperson Mr T S Setona took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS – see col 000.
REQUEST FOR INCREASE IN POLICE PRESENCE ALONG N2
(Draft Resolution)
Mr C J VAN ROOYEN: Chairperson, I hereby move without notice:
That the Council -
(1) notes the reoccurrence of stone throwing at motorists along sections of the N2 in Cape Town over the past weekend, during which two persons were seriously injured; and
(2) therefore requests the executive mayor of Cape Town urgently to implement measures to increase the metro police presence and patrols in order to provide safe driving conditions for motorists on the N2.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
ACCEPTANCE OF BUDGET DRAWN UP BY ANC-LED COUNCIL
(Draft Resolution)
Mnr F ADAMS: Voorsitter, ek gee hiermee kennis:
Dat die Raad kennis neem dat –
(1) die DA-veelpartystadsregering van die Stad Kaapstad die begroting steun, wat opgestel is deur die vorige ANC-beheerde stadsraad;
(2) dit ’n begroting is vir die armes wat onder meer die skepping van geïntegreerde menslike nedersettings, ekonomiese groei en werkskepping, sterk gemeenskappe, billike dienslewering en finansiële volhoubaarheid ten doel het; en
(3) dit dus bewys dat die ANC Suid-Afrika, insluitend Kaapstad, op die regte pad plaas. (Translation of Afrikaans draft resolution follows.)
[Mr F Adams: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the Council notes that -
(1) the DA multiparty city authority of the City of Cape Town supports the budget drawn up by the previous ANC-led city council;
(2) it is a budget for the poor, which inter alia aims for the creation of integrated human settlements, economic growth and job creation, strong communities, fair service delivery and financial sustainability; and
(3) it therefore proves that the ANC is placing South Africa, including Cape Town, on the right track.]
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
ATTACK ON MEMBER OF COUNCIL
(Draft Resolution)
SOSISWEBHU WEMKHANDLU WEMAPROVINSI: Sihlalo, ngitsandza kuphakamisa lesishukumiso lesingakabikwa ngaphambili:
Kutsi Lendlu -
(1) ivakalise buhlungu nekuvelana nelilunga leMkhandlu, uMhlon Juanita Terblanche;
(2) ivile kutsi ugetjengiwe, wabuye walinyatwa itolo ngesikhatsi basemkhankhasweni eTafelsig;
(3) yetsemba kutsi nebemtsetfo batawutsatsa tinyatselo letiphutfumako; futsi
4) ifisa kutsi labo labente lesento lesibi batfolakale ngekuphutfuma
lokukhulu.
Ngiyabonga. (Translation of Siswati draft resolution follows.) [The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: Chairperson, I would like to move without notice:
That the Council -
1) declares its heartfelt sympathy to a member of the Council, Ms
Juanita Terblanche;
2) notes that she was viciously attacked and bruised yesterday during
their campaign at Tafelsig;
3) hopes that the law will take urgent steps to bring those thugs to
book soon; and
4) urges that those criminals who did this barbaric act be dealt with
immediately.
Thank you.]
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): Hon members, I am aware that there was a problem with the interpreting service. I personally could not understand the motion well but it basically expressed sympathy regarding an unfortunate incident, if I am not wrong. Could you repeat it in English, hon Chief Whip, so that everybody can hear?
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: Chairperson, I will try to interpret, but I have to say I am not a professional interpreter. I was expecting our professional parliamentary interpreters to render a quality service to all our members in this House in terms of transmitting and interpreting our speeches from our indigenous languages.
In summary, I moved a motion without notice that this House expresses its sympathy regarding one of our colleagues, the hon Juanita Terblanche, who was involved in an incident of robbery and was also injured yesterday during her activities relating to campaigning in Tafelsig; and that we would also like to appeal to the law-enforcement agencies to see to it that the perpetrators are brought to justice. I thank you.
APPROPRIATION BILL
(Policy debate)
Debate on Vote No 33 – Transport:
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT: Chairperson of the NCOP, hon members, yesterday I addressed myself to the Budget Vote for transport in the National Assembly. Copies of that address and some additional information have already been distributed to members of the NCOP.
Basically I indicated yesterday that the department’s timeframes, targets and programmes aim to secure cost-efficient, poverty-breaking integration across the transport system, by entrenching innovation, reprioritising budgets and reinvigorating the department’s skills base and those of the agencies that report to us.
We looked at the three critical areas of public transport, freight logistics and safety and security in the transport environment. I want to change my focus this afternoon. Our main concern is with the department’s development of policies, programmes and initiatives that provide an overall framework in which co-ordinated, integrated and targeted transport activity takes place in our country.
Our Constitution defines transport as the responsibility that cuts across all spheres of government. This requires consistent intergovernmental co- operation and co-ordination. The development of institutional arrangements such as transport authorities to co-ordinate transport planning and implementation at the local, regional and metro levels, requires the development of shared understandings, attitudes and customs that serve to benefit from spatial and localised tensions rather than being paralysed by rival interests. Cities and metros are the instruments which drive policies to alleviate congestion on our roads by developing models that are most suited to local conditions.
I am aware that there have been some problems in establishing transport authorities around the country, after the good start by the eThekwini Municipality. It has been some time now that we have been calling for the establishment of these institutions at local level because we believe that their existence will go a long way to overcoming many of the impediments to integrated planning. We should really try to avoid translating political boundaries that find geographic expression in the structure of municipalities and metros, for example, into barriers to economic integration and the movement of our people.
Each local authority is not an island cut off from the economic activity of neighbouring areas. At the end of the day, I am less bothered about the precise shape that the institution of transport authority takes as I am about delaying the implementation of integrated transport activities across the country as a whole.
There are a range of important activities that serve to integrate and transform the relationship between the first and the second economies. There should be no inherent structural contradiction between reducing the cost of doing business in South Africa on the one hand, and on the other, the imperative of improving people’s lives; especially those who are marginalised in what is called the economic and social mainstream.
The enormous challenge that we face is to implement programmes that are informed by the social conditions of our people and understand that economic benefit for the few is morally, politically and economically unsustainable if the majority of our people, who are the poor, are excluded from reaping the promises of political liberation.
The tasks of the present include the need to use the power of the developmental state to transform our transport system, from merely being the heartbeat of the economy to being the backbone of development itself.
May I just update members on where we are right now with the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme. The Cabinet, this morning, agreed that a great deal of progress has been made and we want to congratulate all taxi owners and operators who have come in their thousands to convert their permits into operating licences. As of this morning, about 86% of taxi operators have done so. [Applause.]
This morning the Cabinet agreed that the taxi operators who have been unable to submit their applications by the end of business today, that is 31 May, and who still wish to apply for new licences can still submit applications after this date, as long as they provide written reasons for not being able to meet the deadline of 31 May.
Operating licensing boards are instructed to continue to receive applications for the conversion of permits to operating licences beyond the cut-off date of 31 May. This is on condition that the applicants provide written explanations for reasons beyond their control, which resulted in them being unable to apply on time.
Law enforcement agencies will cease to enforce the requirements for valid operating licenses contained in current legislation. In particular, law enforcement agencies will cease to engage in activities such as impounding vehicles and Operation Bambi iSkorokoro, in KwaZulu-Natal, which may unduly prejudice taxi operators whose applications have not been received through no fault of the operator, or which have not been appropriately processed by the Operating Licensing Boards.
These details will be gazetted immediately by the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Safety and Security. I trust that this will put the issues to rest at last.
The provision of public transport, especially bus transport, is implemented at local and metro levels as well. As we review the operation of the current system towards a more equitable one, where the commuter is paramount, we will be sensitive to current needs and structures of all operators.
It is not our intention to favour one or the other mode of public transport over another, but we want to see better co-ordination of routes and the integration of fare and ticketing systems - to mention but one or two. Preparatory work for the review of the subsidy system included the auditing of the whole system of bus subsidies.
Unfortunately, this audit revealed apparently fraudulent operations, particularly in relation to interim contracts. In some cases we have instituted legal action to correct the situation, but as the investigations continue I trust that clarity will emerge to support the view that the fraud is less prevalent than initially contemplated.
We hope that the relevant authorities will speed up their work so that we can move on with the implementation of the new model tender contracts. Incidentally, we are very delighted with reports that Limpopo’s Great North Transport is about to get 200 new busses, worth around R250 million, in a major effort to improve services in that province. This seems a very worthwhile example for other companies to follow.
The newly-merged SSRC Metro Rail will rationalise administrative structures, primarily to deliver its co-mandate more clearly, speedily and with no confusion about where responsibility lies for the provision of a cost-effective, regular, safe and secure rail public transport system at the end of the day.
Wide-ranging upgrading work on stations, rail-track signalling and rolling stock is proceeding in all SRCC areas of responsibility. Here in the Western Cape the R200-million extension to the Khayelitsha line is proceeding. The planning for the upgrading and refurbishment of the Cape Town station is nearly ready, and this project will be the largest single upgrade of a public facility since the Johannesburg Park Station development last year.
Parliament has also been fully briefed about the national freight logistics strategy. Two ongoing projects emphasise the importance of provincially based and supported initiatives because these link regional and even local economies to the national economic framework.
The Douglas-Belmont project in the Northern Cape will keep open a line that has not been financially viable but which has enormous economic potential. Closing the line would have raised freight pricing, increased noxious emissions, road degradation, road maintenance budgets and resulted in job losses in the area. The introduction of this project by the DOT and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism will result in an increase in safety on the line; prevent increases in noxious emissions; reduce freight pricing, transit time, the operational cost of rail services; increase the validity and viability of farming in the area; and employ in the region of 800 people for a year in Douglas and Stormberg in the Eastern Cape where the rail material is being sourced.
A similar project in Nkwaleni in KwaZulu-Natal will allow significant traffic to move from the road back onto the rail. The customers have agreed to build rail-compliant facilities for their products and move some track back to rail. The imminent maturation of standing timber in the surrounding forests will ensure more traffic going to the rail line. The environmental and traffic-congestion savings resulting from this project are huge and will contribute to the viability of a tourism strategy for the area that is currently in development.
Targeted investments are required in many of these rural and second economy interventions. We need to seize the opportunities for integrating first and second economic transport networks and not timidly let them pass by. Recent investments in the forestry industry in the former Transkei have come their way only because we have provided road access from Ugi-Langeni, upgraded the rail facility at Mtata, and upgraded the Mtata-Amabele railway line to East London.
Many deep rural areas of South Africa are isolated from major roads and rail routes; they are serviced overwhelmingly by poorly managed and short- lived rural access roads; and the modes of transport available to our people for their own access to medical centres, schools or villages are limited.
Our rural transport strategy is a central element of the Integrated Rural Mobility and Access demonstration projects, three of which are up and running at the moment: Sekhukhune, a cross-boundary development in Limpopo and Mpumalanga; in OR Tambo in the Eastern Cape; and Umkhanyakude in KwaZulu-Natal. Once again, these are small budget operations, but the benefit to local communities is great.
In the OR Tambo Municipality we have targeted Tombo and Qaukeni as focus areas of a range of nonmotorised transport initiatives, including freight and logistics co-ordination through a multipurpose centre. In Qaukeni, Lusikisiki is a hub for the Mtata-Port-St-Johns-Lusisiki Corridor.
We will link up with health and other programmes run by the province. The initial cost of the freight facilities, health transport, the school learner cycle project, the Umzimvubu safe-river-crossing project and common- use infrastructure will be R11,5 million. Again, this is a small budget for a massive result.
Turning back to the economic heartland of our country, I want to alert members to a special case. There is a crisis facing a significant part of the road network in Mpumalanga that produces extraordinary maintenance requirements for the road system as a result of the necessary overexploitation of road use by coal trucks moving between coal mines and power stations in Mpumalanga.
Working together with the provincial government and Eskom, we have outlined a plan to build a new rail line in the area to take pressure off the roads, to identify alternative methods of maintenance and to transfer sections of the provincial network to the SA National Roads Agency. The damage to roads is obvious, and motorists have, quite frankly, become deeply fed up with this situation. I believe that we will resolve this problem shortly, using both short-term and long-term plans.
Two other areas of transport activities that I would like to mention briefly relate to aviation and maritime matters. We are currently putting the final touches to a national airlift strategy that seeks to address developmental requirements down the line, particularly as they relate to the role that aviation plays to boost tourism, promote business travel, extend the role of general aviation and low-cost airlines and also to promote suitable air-freight capacity.
Aside from the major projects that affect all Acsa airports around the country, we are looking more closely than before at the condition and role of aerodromes and other airports in the country that can serve both as a basis for expanded passenger and freight services in the country.
There are hundreds of aerodromes scattered around the country and many of these, for example, on the Wild Coast, in Mpumalanga and the Karoo, are well situated for tourist traffic. Other airports, such as the airports at Mtata, at Bisho and at Upington and others, are located in areas which lend themselves to greater use as freight nodes. Provinces and local authorities will need to be part of this roll-out plan.
The maritime industry is often thought of as being of interest only to coastal provinces. Nothing could be further from the truth. South Africa and the region depend on a safe and secure maritime environment for our economic livelihood. Our port operations have to be efficient. As the region develops its capacity through ports in Angola, Namibia, Mozambique and Tanzania, so the need for South African ports to improve their services if they are to remain in the game becomes critical. Gone are the days when we could have used tariffs or sanctions to block development elsewhere.
At the beginning of May this year the Alexandros T sank off the southeast coast of South Africa. Only seven crew members were rescued, and we think that the other 33 souls perished when the ship went down. Last year the fishing vessel Lindsay sank after colliding with another vessel just off Mossel Bay. Both of these tragedies serve to highlight the dangers of life at sea.
I am currently awaiting the report from SA Maritime Safety Authority on the sinking of the Alexandros T. With reference to the Lindsay, the Court of Marine Enquiry has completed its work and we are instructing them to await the recommendations, and those that particularly relate to improving safety in the fishing fleet context must be fast-tracked. I do hope that these actions will bring some comfort to the thousands of mariners who ply our seas for a living.
I have touched on a few issues in the complex portfolio of Transport. I do look forward to this debate and will respond accordingly to other issues in my closing remarks. With these words, I would like to thank all members for their undivided attention. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr R J TAU: Hon Chair, hon Minister, MECs present, officials from the department and comrades, I want to state from the outset that our approach as a committee to this debate should be seen within the context of the ANC policy evolution. I say this because this is one of the most interesting policy trajectories that the people’s movement finds itself in; and that is with regard to policy development in response to the needs of our people.
Not so long ago the movement met at Stellenbosch at a historic conference. As it is the tradition, it made some reflections on whether we are still on track in terms of the reconstruction and development of the lives of our people. It was at that conference where, out of our resolutions, we said we believed that, and I quote:
The national democratic revolution challenges us to focus infrastructure development towards achieving the integration of our communities through spatial development and the ongoing deracialisation of our country. This includes bridging the technology, production and infrastructure divide between rural and urban areas. It also requires greater co-ordination and planning for infrastructure to support the growth and development strategy implemented through all spheres of government.
The reason why we believe what is quoted above, is precisely because, as the ANC, it is our understanding that infrastructure provision should be understood in a broader context and that is to include economic, social, institutional and municipal infrastructure. By implication, that means funding will be made available for the development for capital works, institutional development and processes that capture our capacity as South Africans.
Two years ago, we went on a door-to-door campaign asking our people to vote for their movement in order to allow it to continue doing what it knows best. We did this with our most important theme foremost in our minds, that is, a people’s contract to create work and fight poverty.
Some of the fundamental questions that made us of course go out and do exactly that, were actually related to the following: Can we build a better life for our people if our provincial road infrastructure is in a poor condition? Can we create work and fight poverty if our people continue to die on our roads? Can we build a better life for our people if the trains they use to travel to work continue to be death traps? Can we build a better life for our people when our road network makes it difficult to take their goods that they produce to the nearest market in order to live?
Obviously, the answer to all these questions and many others that were asked during that process is a big no! The reason I proudly say no is because as the ANC, consistent with our resolve at Stellenbosch, we have seen a consistent commitment as displayed by the department over the years to improving the skewed road infrastructure problems we inherited from the old order.
We have seen new roads being built over the past ten years with billions of rands being invested in such massive road infrastructure programmes. Coupled with that has been the construction of roads through the Expanded Public Works Programme in provinces such as Limpopo and Kwazulu-Natal and a typical example is the Gundulashu Project that was able to empower particularly women and young people.
During our provincial visits, we noted with delight the kind of programmes that provinces have put in place. New bridges have been built in rural areas that make it easy for people to travel to their areas of work with great ease. Linked to all these programmes has been the extent to which the departmental programmes have been linked to skills development. While our people have been constructing these roads, they have also been left with key and critical skills that enable them to live with those skills beyond the lives of the projects themselves.
Noting that transport is a cornerstone of economic development, and as we stated we believed in Stellenbosch, ours is to ensure that the road network contributes to the development of our economy by linking the key centres of our economy and, most importantly, reviving some areas that have been rendered ghost towns such as Noupoort and De Aar in the Northern Cape, therefore by so doing integrating the first and second economies. I couldn’t suppress the joy I felt at the Minister’s announcement of Douglas.
The committee has also noted with great concern the extent to which in some
areas roads are badly constructed. Whilst we recognise the important work
that has been done, it is quite clear that in some areas contractors are
just interested in completing the job with an objective of take the cash
and go, in actual fact reminding us of the President’s characterising the
present state of our municipalities as cash cows’’. And I must say there
are those contractors that make our transport department also acash
cow’’.
Having observed these tendencies, it is the view of the committee that a system must be worked out in order to allow the national departments to have a more direct role in monitoring projects that fall under provinces and municipalities; because those are the areas where these people find it much easier to do the kind of shabby work that they render to our people.
The committee has also noted the interdepartmental approach the department has adopted. It is through such efforts that we have seen a reduction in criminal incidents on trains, except for the recent violent activities that led to some people dying on trains.
We appreciate the collaboration between the justice and the police departments during the peak traffic seasons and welcome the move towards strengthening the regional transportation management centres in order to deal with law enforcement and attitudes of most of us as road users. We also welcome the operation of Arrive Alive beyond peak seasons in the country.
Our recent visit to the Northern Cape reminded us that a lot still needs to be done in order for the motivating forces, as characterised by our movement, to benefit from your department’s infrastructure development and the transformation of the public transport transformation programme. As a Presidential nodal point, the public hearings at Kgalagadi were dominated by road infrastructure development problems. For example, members experienced a process wherein they got stuck on one of the roads whilst they were travelling to some projects. So, the whole parliamentary delegation could not travel to that area and members had to travel by foot.
These are some of the challenges that we have been able to learn from through our Taking Parliament to the People, and it is important that we highlight them.
I would be failing in my responsibility if I avoided actually to execute the mandate that I was given by the committee. As a committee, in appreciating the transformation of the public transport system in our country, which in fact is in the best interests of the workers and the poor, we call upon all taxi owners to participate in the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme. We do this because we believe that such a programme will benefit our people in many ways. I believe that through the active participation of taxi associations, be it Santaco or the NTA, we call upon them to unite because it is only through such effort that together with the department, we can build a better public transport system that is beneficial to all.
Let me thank the department under the stewardship of Mrs Mpofu for its co- operation, and we hope to continue building on this relationship. And that should be seen within the context in which they have been consistent and resolute in ensuring that as a committee we are clear on issues that the department is engaged with. On those bases, as a committee we are satisfied that the department is a department at work; it is a department that will ensure that South Africans travel from one point to the other safely and will also contribute towards their own economic development. I thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
Ms H F MATLANYANE: Chairperson, hon Minister and the officials of the department, I start my speech today with a message that I was told to deliver to the Department of Transport. It says that we will be happy if next time when the officials accompany the Minister we will not see all the men that are here, but that there must be a mixture to ensure that women are fully represented. We are on course, in this year of hope, to ensure that the contract we signed with the people of South Africa in 2004 is honoured. We are on course to deliver public transport to the people of South Africa, the transport that is going to lead also to the rural poor being able to move from their homes to cities for economic activities. The previous regime, with its apartheid policies, moved the poor away from job opportunities and access to amenities. This has burdened the workforce with enormous travel distances to their places of employment and commercial centres, with excessive costs.
Our democratic government, in an effort to undo the effects of apartheid policies referred to above, has policies, strategies and programmes in place to eradicate the legacy of long-distance travelling. This policy has its integral part in the National Strategy on Rural Transport and infrastructure development and services; it has rural nodes and intermediate transport.
The national strategy is meant to deliver to the rural masses transport infrastructure and services. The infrastructure’s concern is underpinned by construction of access roads, district roads, public transport interchanges and nonmotorised transport. The envisaged transport as an effort of government through the Department of Transport will include a number of modes such as LDVs, taxis, busses, bicycles and nonmotorised transport.
The top priority in this regard is to overcome the big jump in access opportunities from the village to the nearest town centre. Coupled with that is the regulation of rural transport operations and safety as well as institutionalisation of alignment and transformation in the rural road sector.
As the ANC we support the Budget Vote of the department. The overall expenditure of the department is expected to continue to increase rapidly, rising from R5,7 billion in 2003-04 to the baseline of R12,8 billion for the 2006-07 financial year, increasing further to R15,5 billion in 2008-09 at an average annual rate of 18,1%.
Subsidies for public transport, including a grant of R3,2 billion for the Gautrain and funding for road infrastructure continue to drive the expenditure upwards. The public transport programme which funds bus and rail subsidies, including capital expenditure on rail, is expected to grow at an average rate of 20,1% between 2005-06 and 2008-09 compared to 9,9% previously.
The delivery of rural transport infrastructure and services will continue to include the following, and the delivery thereof will increasingly be a local government responsibility; rural transport infrastructure; access roads; district roads; public transport interchanges in villages; and even transportation where communities particularly and farmers themselves provide services to involve herd-loading as well as the use of nonmotorised transport.
Mokgatlo wa ANC o thekga le go amogela ditekanyetšo tsa Kgoro ya Dinamelwa. Se se dira gore kgoro e kgone go tšweletša maikaelelo a yona a go bona gore dinamelwa tša bohle di a tshepega, di bolokegile e bile di kgona gore bašomiši ba tšona ba ditsela ba kgone go fokotša sephethephethe mebileng. Se se tlile go dira gore ba fihle ka nako mešomong le go phetha mabaka a mangwe ao ba tlago be ba a yetše ditoropong.
Go a thabiša go bona gore le diporofense tša magaeng, go swana bo Limpopo, di fiwa monyetla wa go šomiša dibene go sepediša batho le tše dingwe ke Kgoro ya Dinamelwa. Se se hlohleletšwa ke ge mmušo o lemogile gore diporofense tšeo di na le tlhokego ye kgolo ya dinamelwa tša bohle. Bjale ge motho a na le benenyana a ka kgona go thuša go fokotša maeto ao a dirago gore batho ba sepele nako ye telele. Efela re re le tšona go nyakege gore di be molaong gore badiriši ba tšona ba kgone go šireletšega le go bolokega ge ba sepela ka tšona. Se se ka dirwa ka go bona gore diporiki le ditulo di seemong seo se loketšego go sepediša badiriši gore ba kgone go sepela ba lokologile ba bile ba šireletšegile. Le gona gantši ditsela tša magaeng ga di hlohleletše gore bao ba nago le dithekesi le dipase ba fihle.
Ke ka moo re amogelago lenaneo la phetošo ya dithekesi leo le bitšwago taxi recapitalisation. Gape re amogela le ka moo lenaneo le le sepelago ka gona. Go nyakega gore re kgone go sepediša ka lenaneo le le phakiše gore bohle ba kgone go ba molaong. Lehono ke letšatši la mafelelo la go dira dikgopelo tša go fetolela diphemiti go dilaesense. Ke kgale go bolelwa ka lenaneo lekhwi eupša go se nko yeo e tšwago lemina. Bjale e re mola go bonala lesedi mafelelong, go a nyamiša go bona ge batho ba bangwe ba nyaka gore go no binwabinwa felogotee. Re swanetše go gatelela le go kgopela batho bao ba sego ba dira dikgopelo re ba botše gore tlogatloga e tloga kgale, modiša wa kgomo o tšwa nayo šakeng. Gape Mopedi o re: kolobe ya morago mampša a e bona. Ba tla bonwa ke mampša. (Translation of Sepedi paragraphs follows.)
[The ANC supports and accepts the budget allocated to the Department of Transport. It will assist the department to reach its objectives of ensuring that public transport is roadworthy and safe, and this will also decrease the traffic on the road. As a result, commuters can be on time for work and will be able to run their personal errands in town.
It is a pleasure to see that the Department of Transport has given provinces such as Limpopo the opportunity to use vans to transport people and goods. This is motivated by the government’s realisation that those provinces have a problem with public transport. A person who owns a van can help others by minimising their long trips. However, we insist that the vans should be registered so that the drivers and passengers are protected and safe. We do this by ensuring that those vans’ brakes and seats are in a good and roadworthy condition to carry passengers, also by ensuring that the passengers are comfortable and safe, especially because the taxis and buses prefer not to use the roads in the rural areas.
It is for that reason that we accept the transformation of taxis called “taxi recapitalisation”. We accept the way this programme works. We need to ensure a speedy implementation of this programme so that every taxi is registered on time. Today is the last day for submissions of applications to change from permits to licences. We have been talking about this programme, but not much has been done yet. It is sad though, that there are people who will pull us down just as we begin to make some progress. We must emphasise to people who have not yet sent in their applications that it is better for them to make a greater effort. The earliest bird catches the fattest worm.]
Some of the rural road networks are in a shocking state.
Ke be ke le ofising ya ka ka Feberewari kua gaMmalebogo moo pula e bego e tšhologa. Ke šomela karolokgetho ya Eldorado gaMmalebogo. [I was in my office at gaMmalebogo in February and it was raining heavily. I work for the Eldorado constituency in gaMmalebogo.]
The road was in such a state that even an ambulance got stuck. Even the tow car that was supposed to pull the cars that were stuck got stuck itself. That was a terrible situation. And that meant that delivery of services to the people on that day and during that week got stuck.
Motlhomphegi Tona mo go lego ofisi ya ka go na le moago wa maphodisa le moago wa senthara ya tsa maphelo. Ge pula e e na ka moka di a ema. Feela ke thaba go go tsebiša gore ge ke bolela ke itšalo ba gare ba katana le go e lokiša.
Se se dirwago ke mmušo ke gore batho ka moka, go akaretšwa bao ba lego diporofenseng tša magaeng, ba kgone go šireletšege gomme ba sepele ka tokologo. (Translation of Sepedi paragraphs follows.)
[Hon Minister, there is a police station and a medical centre next to my office. Everything comes to a standstill when it rains. It is my pleasure though, to inform you now that people are working to fix it at this moment.
What the government does is to ensure that all the people, including those in the rural areas, are protected and are able to travel comfortably.]
It is also encouraging that the taxi industry, which transports the poorest of our people, is going to be regulated through the taxi recapitalisation process. This industry, which was met by violence and fighting over lucrative routes, also creates jobs for most of the people who were not able to find employment. It is also being part of South Africans who are actively contributing to the economy of South Africa. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.] Mr O M THETJENG: Chairperson, the DA is going to highlight quite a number of issues that we feel the department has to carry out or make sure are implemented.
We are quite aware that the responsibilities of the Department of Transport are, according to its mission statement, and I quote:
… to provide safe, reliable, effective, efficient and fully integrated transport operations and infrastructure which will best meet the needs of freight and passenger customers at improving levels of service and cost in a fashion which supports government strategies for economic and social development whilst being environmentally and economically sustainable.
There are quite a number of issues that the department, in terms of its mandate, has to take care of, and it must ensure that they are realised.
Road accidents account for an ever-increasing proportion of unnatural deaths in South Africa. According to the National Injury Mortality Surveillance Systems report released in November last year, in 2004, accidents and road accidents in particular, were the leading cause of unnatural deaths. Another report, the Road Traffic and Fatal Crash statistics of 2003-04 reported an increase in road fatalities of 40% between 1998 and 2004.
South Africa’s maintenance of its road network is unsatisfactory. Not only are 106 000 km of road in need of rehabilitation, but poor planning has resulted in increased congestion in all major South Africa cities, as we can see. What is the Minister doing to improve this particular situation?
The Road Accident Fund is in a perpetual state of crisis. The DA is fully in support of the appropriation of R2,7 billion to meet claims that are in arrears, and to set the fund back on a sound financial footing. However, the bail-out will not solve the fund’s insurmountable problems unless the Road Accident Fund Act is reviewed. It may restrict claims, by virtue of its caps, and prevent foreign claims, but what it won’t do is reduce the number of accident claims which have increased by 9% since 1999, neither will it help to resolve the pressure from the estimated 20% increase in the number of new car registrations taking place annually.
The bottom line is that South Africa has one of the highest traffic accident rates in the world, and unless we can bring this down, the fund’s liabilities will continue to exceed its assets, rendering it technically insolvent. Coupled to this is the serious threat of continued constitutional challenges coming from claimants whose common law rights have been removed and who will, no doubt, contest whatever definition comes out of regulating what is classified as a ``serious injury’’.
The Minister needs to assist the new CEO and board as well as the Road Traffic Management Corporation to work out how best to take the RAF forward towards an accident-free South Africa.
There are a number of other problems bedevilling the portfolio. Our airports are still suffering from passenger bottlenecks and through-flows, which will require a major streamlining effort before the Soccer World Cup, if we are to cope with the thousands of visitors that we are expecting.
Security at both the aircraft site and the passenger site needs serious investigation, as do suspected inside information leaks, and the role of private security contractors and the SA Police Service at these facilities.
The Gautrain project, for its part, has question marks all over it. Although this was originally a provincial initiative, it became a national issue when Finance Minister Trevor Manuel announced that the project’s cost had increased from R7 billion to R20 billion, and would need to be financed from the National Treasury.
Although Gauteng is in desperate need of increased transport capacity, particularly on the Pretoria-Johannesburg route, it is not clear that the R20 billion could not be spent more effectively elsewhere. This is also a project that is expected to benefit the well-off disproportionately, a questionable decision given that the poor suffer on a day-to-day basis from the underfunding of their transport needs in rural areas.
The Gautrain project has many bridges still to cross, and I would like the Minister to be aware of the concerns raised about the proposed routing of the train through AECI property. I would also like him to be aware of the more recent decision to go above ground through those parts of Centurion that utilise viaducts, due to problems with underlying rock conditions. This is a total abuse of the rights of the residents of Centurion, and will have major environmental and property implications if they push ahead without proper consultation, which seems to be the norm with the Gautrain project team.
Finally, the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme is behind schedule. The plan is now six years old, and only a small number of an estimated 90 000 existing taxis have been replaced. In the City Press dated 23 April 2006, the Minister is quoted as saying that only 10 000 taxis will be scrapped in this financial year. The delays have also resulted in an increase in the scrapping fee from R10 000 to R50 000. The cost of the new taxi vehicle has also nearly doubled, from the original estimated price of R120 000 for an 18-seater unit to over R250 000 per unit.
This has major ramifications for taxi owners in terms of affordability and viability. The delays have resulted in the already aging taxi fleet becoming even older, and in many cases they are unroadworthy and unsafe for public use. The once-off capital subsidy does not take into account the future subsidisation of the taxi industry, which is the largest of our public transporters.
Nearly R4,7 billion, the majority of the national Department of Transport’s budget, goes to the bus and rail industry. Yet it is still not known whether taxis can qualify for bus subsidies. Clearly, like so many other areas of the portfolio, the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme needs urgent attention and reconsideration.
I trust that the Minister will implement the drastic changes required to turn this situation around and ensure that the Department of Transport will fulfil its mandate for the benefit of all South Africans who are dependent on the national transport network.
Let me take the minutes I have remaining to thank the Limpopo province for the purchase of the buses that we just mentioned. As I come from Limpopo, I believe that those buses will go a long way to addressing the transport shortages in the rural areas.
But those buses are not sufficient. Limpopo is one of the provinces where we have a shortage of tarred roads. The roads are gravel ones, and are not properly maintained. De-bushing along the road is not happening. You will find there is tall grass and trees in areas where you are not supposed to have them. This means that the provincial department or the municipality concerned needs to take this situation very seriously.
I thank Limpopo for the manner in which they’ve done this, but we still need our roads to be properly maintained so that we can have a good transport system to take our people where they are needed in good time. Thank you. [Applause.] Mr M A MZIZI: Voorsitter, Minister, LUR’e teenwoordig en lede van hierdie Huis, ek groet u almal. [Chairperson, Minister, MECs present and members of the House, I greet you all.]
Chairperson, the transport sector is an industry that has changed the lives of every single South African. It has allowed our country to grow and prosper like few others on the African continent. Our roads, railways, ports and airports provide us with the necessary infrastructure to compete in the world economy.
The IFP believes that the Minister and the Department of Transport have created good policies and have done reasonably well on implementation. But I am sure that the Minister would agree with me, modern transport is a much more complicated matter than ever before.
The IFP supports the 2006-07 transport budget, but there are concerns and unresolved issues that we have to raise. The Taxi Recapitalisation Programme is an unresolved issue. Government may think that all is ready and in place, but the feeling on the ground, among taxi owners and operators, is not optimistic. Already we hear grumbling about the scrapping allowances and other measures shortly to be implemented. The Minister should always remember that the taxi industry is a highly volatile industry, and one misstep or a slight miscalculation will cause chaos for the millions of South Africans who rely on taxis for transport to and from work and otherwise.
Yet again, we have now raised concerns about the high number of road deaths in our country. Despite the best efforts by almost all stakeholders, more than 12 000 people die on our roads every year. The cost to the country is astronomical – about R40 billion.
It is high time that one of the most important stakeholders, drivers, take responsibility for their actions. Speeding, alcohol use and unroadworthy vehicles cause many thousands of accidents with horrific consequences. Yet everyone drives as if there are no rules and laws, and no consequences. It is time that drivers realise that the laws and rules are in place for a good reason. If we do not convince them of this, our road accident and death statistics will continue to read like a horror novel. With the few minutes that I have …
Ake ngiphindele laphayana kuNgqongqoshe. Ngqongqoshe uma sikhuluma ngokuhlelwa kabusha kwemboni yamatekisi akungoba siyigxeka. Uma ngabe ngempela singalubheki lolu daba ngeso elibanzi, kuyoba ngukuthi impela sidlala ngezimpilo ngoba sikhuluma nabantu abangabanikazi bamatekisi kanye nabashayeli. Abantu laba empeleni bangakhulumi, bakhuluma ngenduku yegwala. Uma kufikwa kwangqingetshe kusuka induku yegwala kusuke uthuli lwezichwe lubheke phezulu kufe abantu.
Yilokhu ke sithi uma impela lolu daba lungaphathwa njengezikhali zamantungwa kungase impela kuchitheke utshwala bugayiwe. Empeleni asikhulumi nje ngoba sincela izithupha. Uthi uma uhlala phansi nezinhlangano zamatekisi uthi uyabuza, bathi chabo bo, uSantaco lo ubani? Wayekhethwe ubani? Ngangithi mina kuyeziswisa uSantaco ukuthi kuyiwa ngakuphi kodwa hhayi engathi uhele nje. Nguye manje uSantaco esingazi ukuthi uyibhekisaphi noma usina yiphi ingoma. Azibhemi nganqawe yinye futhi kufuneka sibuye sibuyekeze ukuze sonke sibe ndawonye.
Ngiyethemba Ngqongqoshe ukuthi njengoba sisho nje akungoba sigxeka kodwa yingoba sifuna ukwakha ukuze impumelelo ibe khona nabantu bathole ukusinda kulesi simo esibhekene naso ngoba ezokuthutha zingumgogodla wakho konke. Ngeke ufike ndawo uma zingekho. Sesingaphephela ekubuyeleni lapho sasigibela amahhashi khona. Okumhlophe kodwa. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Let me go back to the Minister. Minister, when we talk about taxi recapitalisation, we do not do so to criticise the taxi industry. If we do not take this matter seriously, we will definitely be putting lives in danger because here we are talking about taxi owners and drivers. These are people who do not talk, but simply use a gun. If they reach a deadlock, they just use a gun, a fight begins and then people die.
That is why we are saying that if we do not handle such matters carefully, worse is yet to come. Here we are talking about something we know very well. If you sit down with these taxi organisations, trying to get information from them, they simply ask you who this Santaco is and who elected it. I thought this Santaco knew where they were going, but now it looks as if they have no direction. We are not all in the same boat and we need to revise this matter so that we all have the same understanding.
I just hope, Minister, that you will realise that, as we have said, we are not merely criticising, but we are being constructive so that there will be success and people will be saved from the situation we are faced with, because the transport industry is the backbone of everything. One can never reach any place without transport, unless we want to go back to those times when we used to ride horses. I wish you all the best.]
Mr M L FRANSMAN (Western Cape): Chairperson, members of the NCOP, Minister, I am encouraged by and give my full support to the goals and objectives that the hon Minister has highlighted in this speech. The department of transport and public works in the Western Cape has aligned its strategic plan for the year ahead to achieve the objective of building bridges between the first and the second economies.
We have communities in the Western Cape that are seeing many of the opportunities that came with the excellent growth our provincial and national economies achieved in the past year pass them by. These communities struggle with accessing the opportunities that are created far from where the townships have been located.
The design of these dormitory townships were, in the past, part of the apartheid grand plan, which would have our communities feeding the economy with cheap labour during the day and then returning at night to the township behind the hill to be out of sight and, many a time, out of mind.
The Minister has addressed this. I believe that your focus on the urban poor and rural marginalised will help to address those imbalances that were caused through the lack of mobility and access that our communities have suffered from for so long.
In this regard, the proposed review of the public transport subsidy system, the rationalisation of routes and the introduction of different and innovative products will go a long way in making public transport more accessible to our poorest communities. This is especially critical for us in the Western Cape, because we are quite advanced with the design of a restructured public transport system, which has a strong focus on integrating the different modes of public transport: taxi, bus and rail.
I am encouraged by the support that my department has been receiving from the national department in designing a truly integrated public transport system, and the expansion of the subsidy system to accommodate all the public transport modes. An integrated system is a critical element in the redesign of the public transport system.
I am also grateful to the Minister and the department for the guidance and assistance in the development of norms and standards for electronic fare collection as an integral part of a restructured, integrated system of public transport. Within the next three weeks, I will be announcing the list of pre-qualifying groups that will tender for the Western Cape electronic fare collection system.
Public transport should not be limited to moving people from their homes to work and back, but should afford our people the mobility that they require also to access social and cultural events and centres throughout the city and the province. By establishing such a public transport system, we will have established a viable alternative to the use of private vehicles for all travellers, including tourists.
One is also quite encouraged by the commitment to the upgrading of rail lines and rolling stock in Cape Town, Durban and Gauteng, including the upgrade of the Cape Town station. Rail forms the backbone of the system in the Western Cape, with some 55% of peak-period commuters using rail as their preferred mode of transport.
But the rail system has, as we now know, been dogged by violence, theft and vandalism. The Minister’s commitment to improving safety and security on the rail system through the deployment of the rail police, the refurbishment of rolling stock and the installation of cameras is greatly welcomed.
Also, just commenting on what the speakers from the DA and the IFP said: it is true that there are many challenges in the taxi industry, but this is precisely because, historically, it hasn’t been regulated. Therefore the announcements made in the budget policy address speak to regulation, legalisation and, in a sense, to a new vision and a new process for getting this industry right. Instability and violence in this particular industry and threats against officials cannot and should not be tolerated.
The Minister has the Western Cape’s full support for the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme, and one is pleased to report that the Western Cape, as of this morning, in terms of analysis has managed to convert 98% of its taxi permits to operating licences. [Applause.] That means 7 529 applications have been lodged; and 7 081 conversion licences have been uplifted, meaning that they have been handed back to operators.
Also, regarding the analysis of law enforcement, we have been able in the past month only to stop and search approximately 4 000 taxis and to make sure that we are bringing about a much more reliable and much safer process, as indicated in this budget address. I therefore believe that the budget, in fact, speaks to a much more reliable and much safer future for public transportation vis-à-vis the taxi industry.
I also want, again, to thank the Minister for his support at the launch of the Arrive Alive programme for the Easter period. We actually saw a marked reduction in the number of fatal accidents over that period compared to previous years. We know that the challenge that you have thrown out is to make sure that this is not only for the Easter period, but in fact throughout the year. So we will continue with those efforts.
Lastly, one is encouraged by the increased allocation for the maintenance and upgrade of road infrastructure. This much-needed boost in funding will go a long way towards addressing the backlogs in the maintenance of our existing road network and in providing the new infrastructure that the economy requires to grow and to invest in our people. I thank you. [Applause.]
Rev P MOATSHE: Chairperson, hon Minister, representatives of the department, MECs present here and hon colleagues, it is easy to say a lot of words but to do things is another matter. I am saying we are supposed to start from a positive angle and recognise the achievement that this government has made up to this point. Within a short space of time of 12 years, what this government has done is beyond imagination. [Applause.] Therefore it is easy to say a lot of things, some of which are correct.
If you realise that some people are unable to resolve the mere naming of a street and that the mere naming of a street creates a crack within an alliance, then you realise there is something that doesn’t work. The ANC never came into power and acquitted all those who were not ANC members in different departments and different areas of work. But there are some who cannot work with members of the ANC but just acquit them right from the outset. They even go to court and even go to the Supreme Court of Appeal. This has been ongoing but it does not work like that.
However, the ANC indicated it’s maturity when it accepted all the people of South Africa as equal, and complied totally with what they had inscribed in the Freedom Charter, that the “people of South Africa shall be equal.” That is the point of departure of the ANC. It is highly mature in its way of doing things.
It is only the ANC that has a plan for this country. That’s why the hopes of the people of South Africa are pinned on this giant of our era. The plan of the department is in place. This budget wants to address exactly that, which is outstanding. This budget, which we have to support even though some may tend not to support it, is a step towards achieving that. Every budget, every year, is building up towards changing the scenario in our transport system. Therefore many people have to learn and understand the modus operandi of the ANC in this government.
While transport is an important sector of economic activity in its own right, as the Minister has rightfully said - and other colleagues have already elaborated on this issue - of even greater importance is its role as a facilitator that enables people and goods to move freely and efficiently from one place to another. This is essential for achieving a wide range of more fundamental economic and social objectives.
The way in which people and things are moved also has environmental consequences. We need a transport system that responds to the needs of both the first and second economies and is an instrument that enables our economy to grow. Social inclusion, poverty alleviation and transport are important to the development of South Africa. This budget addresses exactly that – a free transport system that is efficient and enables people to participate in the socioeconomic activities of this country.
Road network integration is being intensified in accordance with the strategic framework for roads and its action plan. Over 300 000 km of provincial roads were transferred to the SA National Roads Agency Limited in 2005 for incorporation into the strategic national road system. An additional allocation of R1,9 billion has been made over the 2006 MTEF period to enable better maintenance of the new national toll network. Processes are under way to ensure integration of the proposed Sanral’s toll schemes with broader transport planning. Specific road clusters, including access roads, the strategic public transport network and strategic secondary road network have been prioritised for improvement.
Successful initiatives that promote job creation and skills development in the provincial road sector such as Zibambele in KwaZulu-Natal, Gundulashu in Limpopo and Siyakha in Gauteng will be replicated and extended through a partnership with the Department of Public Works to strengthen the Expanded Public Works Programme.
The Arrive Alive road safety campaign was initiated as a short-term initiative to reduce the carnage on South African roads. That is why it was brought into life. The first campaign ran from 1 October 1997 to the end of January 1998. The second campaign focused on the Easter holidays in 1998.
This year’s campaign is said to be in an advanced planning stage to reduce the carnage on our roads. [Interjections.] You must listen, hon Thetjeng. This will be an ongoing campaign. It can only be conducted in phases and will be expanded according to the ability to raise funds. Regarding “Don’t Risk It,” hon Thetjeng, local young people, Andrew Strano and Mikaela Smith, will lead the project “Don’t Risk It” in conjunction with the RYPT, using a multimedia performance to explore the issues related to risk- taking, peer pressure, self-worth and respect within the local community.
The Arrive Alive grant will be used to educate young people about the risks associated with drinking and driving while also promoting the use of seat belts by young people. There will also be a multimedia performance at the Generation Youth Arts Festival at the Riverina Playhouse in July. A focus on road safety issues including speeding, drinking and driving when fatigued, passenger behaviour and the nonuse of seat belts should be carefully attended to. The Arrive Alive grant will be also used to run a 10- week graffiti artwork programme.
Volgens Elna Fourie, ontwikkelingsbeplanningspesialis van die SA Nasionale Padagentskap Bpk, is daar vyf breë kategorieë van gemeenskapsontwikkeling waarop die SANPB fokus. Daar word brûe gebou om toegang te verbeter. Daar word voetgangersfasiliteite voorsien. [Tussenwerpsels.] Padveiligheid word bevorder. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[According to Elna Fourie, the development planning specialist of the SA National Road Agency Ltd, there are five broad categories of community development on which Sanral focuses. Bridges are being built to improve access. Facilities for pedestrians are provided. [Interjections.] Road safety is being promoted.]
Are you listening? [Laughter.]
Paaie en die dreinering van paaie word opgegradeer en indringerplante word verwyder, merendeels om werk in arm woongebiede te skep. [Roads and road drainage are being upgraded and alien vegetation cleared; mostly for job creation in poor residential areas.] A good example of the kind of community development projects that Sanral endorses is the community bridge that is currently being built over the White Mfolozi River in the municipal district of Ulundi, in northern KwaZulu-Natal. Therefore this illustrates what this department is doing to better the lives of our people and to give this country – as beautiful as it is – a better shape so that the people of the world shall come to South Africa in 2010 to see what we are doing as we upgrade our airports, our stadiums and our roads. We are on course in doing this.
Ka lebaka Leo Modulasetilo ke re a ntlo eno kgotsa Khansele eno ya boditšhaba ya diporofense e amogele tekanyetso kabo ya Lefapha e e leng fa Pele ga ntlo e. Re e sutise, re e kgatlhametse, re tsetsepele mme re re kodumela moepa thutsi, ga go Na lehumo le le tswang gaufi. Ke a leboga. (Translation of Setswana paragraphs follows.)
[Chairperson, for that reason I am saying this House, or the National Council of Provinces, should support the department’s budget that is before this House. We must move it, push it, be determined and say: “Dig deeply, because treasures cannot be reached on the surface.” Thank you.]
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT: Chairperson, I think the debate has been very constructive. I would like to respond to some of the issues that have been raised.
Regarding the issue raised by the hon Tau concerning the good projects of Zibambele and Gundulashu, those are very important projects that empower our people in the rural areas of South Africa, especially African women.
Concerning the Expanded Public Works Programme, I do believe that we can attain all its objectives if there is closer collaboration with the Department of Transport. If you take Zibambele and the Limpopo projects, so long as there is a road there is always a need to maintain that road. So the sustainability of those job opportunities is assured.
Regarding the empowerment of African women, I have seen them in KwaZulu- Natal and you can see from their faces that this has changed their lives for the better. They are able to feed their families, to send their children to school and even invest this money by forming co-operatives. I have also indicated to the brand-new Minister of Public Works, Thoko Didiza, that we need to sit down so that we can be able to inject a lot of life into the Expanded Public Works Programme and focus on the roads sector. I do appreciate hon Tau for having highlighted this important project.
Hon Thetjeng; where is he? My advise to him is that when he writes his speech he should not be near one Mr Farrow of the National Assembly. [Interjections.] I was in the National Assembly yesterday and he said exactly what was said by him yesterday. I am not sure who copied whom. [Interjections.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): Order!
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT: Coming to the issue of the Gautrain, Gautrain is on track. We have ensured, as the national Department of Transport, that the Gautrain will be properly integrated into public transport networks, Metrorail, buses and taxis. We have done a lot of work with the provincial government there to ensure that the Gautrain will really become a mass mover of people in that part of the world. So I want to assure hon members that this project is proceeding properly and I am sure, as time goes on, we will be making a lot of announcements in so far as that is concerned.
Concerning the issue of road safety, we agree with hon members that the situation is dreadful. However, the issue of policing and law enforcement is very critical for us to improve safety on our roads. That is the responsibility of all law-enforcement officers. The Easter operation, Emisa, which was co-ordinated by the Road Traffic Management Corporation, together with the provinces and metro police, has done a lot of service for our people. We do believe that if we can really intensify law enforcement we can bring about change in South Africa.
Having said that, the responsibility of drivers and other road users is very critical for us. It is for you and me to have a duty and responsibility not to drink and drive. It is our responsibility that we should wear our seatbelts. It is our responsibility to ensure that we do not jaywalk and to ensure that we always abide by traffic rules and regulations. Experience has shown that almost all accidents are always preceded by a violation of a law or regulation. Therefore that is the responsibility of South Africans in order to improve driver behaviour.
We have started a programme, in conjunction with the Department of Education, to provide a curriculum for Grade 0 to Grade 8 in order to promote traffic education in our schools. I think this will go a long way to improve the situation.
Concerning the issue of road development and planning and the issues of funding, hon members should be aware that the challenges that we are facing today arise from the previous system of apartheid when, between 1975 and 1990, the investment in our road infrastructure was halved. It is only the democratic government that has ensured that, since 2000 in particular, the increase in our road infrastructure investment is actually moving from strength to strength.
As you saw on Budget day when the Minister of Finance made his presentation, the road investment in the next three years for all three spheres of government will be R63 billion. This is a major improvement from the previous year. Our responsibility is to ensure that that money is spent well and a proper programme of maintenance developed.
Regarding congestions, the Department of Transport is busy finalising a policy on travel demand management with a special focus on the major metropolitan areas of South Africa, that is Tshwane, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The processing of passengers is done jointly by the airports company and the Department of Home Affairs. Acsa, in particular, focuses on infrastructure - which we believe is in place and is going to continue to be improved with these major investments in infrastructure upgrades that Acsa has announced. The investment in these upgrades will be more than R6 billion in the next three years.
Concerning security measures, Acsa has ensured that we will do everything we can in order to improve the situation. I am satisfied that we are in line with international standards, as promulgated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Coming to the issue of the Road Accident Fund, since I became the Minister of Transport in 2004, whenever I interacted with the Road Accident Fund people I could never hear precisely what they were telling me. So I also nearly became confused until I changed the board and management there. I want to assure you now that when the new board, led by Danisa Baloi, and the new executive, led by Jacob Modise speak, I listen more. [Laughter.] [Applause.] For the first time they show what needs to be done.
Yesterday, for the first time since I started in Transport, the ANC and the DA spoke the same language regarding the Road Accident Fund. But I think a tribute must be paid to both Houses of Parliament in terms of the legislation that was passed, which is going to improve the situation.
The regulations were published on Monday, 29 May 2006 and these are going to be debated and amended so that we can move forward. But critically, the issue of solving the problems of the Road Accident Fund lies in the new policy that will be based on a no-fault principle. The White Paper is being developed, which we are going to share with the NCOP so that we can ensure that we do things for the better.
With those few words I would like to take this opportunity to thank my MECs, all of them, the director-general and all officials of the Department of Transport for the sterling work that they are doing in steering this ship forward to create a better life for all our people. I thank you. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): We want to thank our national Minister of Transport for his informative input in the debate. It is highly appreciated. We thank you, hon Minister.
Debate concluded.
The Council adjourned at 15:30. ____
ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
- Introduction of Bill
(1) The Minister of Health
a) Health Professions Amendment Bill [B 10 – 2006] (National
Assembly – sec 75) [Explanatory summary of Bill and prior
notice of its introduction published in Government Gazette No
28754 of 28 April 2006.]
Introduction and referral to the Portfolio Committee on Health of
the National Assembly, as well as referral to the Joint Tagging
Mechanism (JTM) for classification in terms of Joint Rule 160, on
31 May 2006.
In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification of
the Bill may be submitted to the JTM within three parliamentary
working days.
-
Bills passed – to be submitted to President for assent (1) Bill passed by National Assembly on 30 May 2006:
a) Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Amendment Bill [B 32F - 2005] (National Assembly - art 75).
National Council of Provinces
- Referral to Committees of papers tabled
(1) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on
Local Government and Administration for consideration and report:
a) Report and Financial Statements of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) for 2004-2005, including the Report of the Auditor- General on the Financial Statements for 2004-2005 [RP 21-2006].
(2) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on
Education and Recreation for consideration:
a) Strategic Plan of the Department of Arts and Culture for 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2009.
(3) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on
Security and Constitutional Affairs for consideration:
a) Strategic Plan of the South African Police Service (SAPS) for 2006 to 2007 [RP 42-2006].
(4) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on
Public Services for consideration:
a) Strategic Plan of the Department of Transport for 2006 to 2009.
(5) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on
Local Government and Administration for consideration:
a) Medium Term Strategic Plan of the Department of Public Service and Administration for 2006 to 2011.
(6) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on
Social Services for consideration:
a) Strategic Plan of the Department of Home Affairs for 2006/07 to 2008/09. TABLINGS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
-
The Minister of Finance
1) Government Notice No 362 published in Government Gazette No 28740 dated 13 April 2006: Publication of Local Government allocations and frameworks, in terms of the Division of Revenue Act, 2006 (Act No 2 of 2006).
2) Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Learnership Training System Programme, tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.
3) Explanatory Memorandum on the Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Learnership Training System Programme.
4) Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Legislative Drafting Programme, tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.
5) Explanatory Memorandum on the Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Legislative Drafting Programme.
6) Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Mpumalanga Rural Development Programme, tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.
7) Explanatory Memorandum on the Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Mpumalanga Rural Development Programme.
8) Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on Technology-Aided Distance Self Learning in the South African Police Service, tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.
9) Explanatory Memorandum on the Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on Technology-Aided Distance Self Learning in the South African Police Service.
10) Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South
Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany
concerning the Project: Technology Diffusion through Technikons,
tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.
11) Explanatory Memorandum on the Exchange of Letters between the
Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of
the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Technology
Diffusion through Technikons.
12) Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of
South Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany
concerning the Project: Peace and Development Project, tabled in
terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.
13) Explanatory Memorandum on the Exchange of Letters between the
Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of
the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Peace and
Development Project.
14) Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South
Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany
concerning the Project: Programme to Develop Markets for Business
Development Services, tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the
Constitution, 1996.
15) Explanatory Memorandum on the Exchange of Letters between the
Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of
the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Programme
to Develop Markets for Business Development Services.
16) Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South
Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany
concerning the Project: Skills Development Strategy Initiative
(SDSI), tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution,
1996.
17) Explanatory Memorandum on the Exchange of Letters between the
Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of
the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the Project: Skills
Development Strategy Initiative (SDSI).
18) Exchange of Letters between the Government of the Republic of South
Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany
concerning Financial Cooperation in 2005, tabled in terms of
section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.
19) Explanatory Memorandum on the Exchange of Letters between the
Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of
the Federal Republic of Germany concerning Financial Cooperation in
2005.
- The Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs
(1) Report and Financial Statements of the Commission on Restitution
of Land Rights for 2005-2006 [RP 54-2006].
- The Minister of Safety and Security (1) Report of the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) for January 2005 to December 2005, in terms of section 18(5)(c) of the Domestic Violence Act, 1998 (Act No 116 of 1998) [RP 56-2006].
COMMITTEE REPORTS
National Council of Provinces
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Report of the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs on the Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2004/2005 of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, dated 26 May 2006:
The Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs, having been briefed by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism on its Annual Report and Financial Statements of Vote 27 for 2004-2005, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements of Vote 27 for 2004-2005, referred to it, reports that it has concluded its deliberations thereon.
-
Report of the Select Committee on Finance on the International Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, dated 31 May 2006:
The Select Committee on Finance, having considered the request for approval by Parliament of the International Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters adopted in Brussels on 27 June 2003: Your Customs Johannesburg Convention dated 13 July 2004, referred to it, recommends that the Council, in terms of Section 231 (2) of the Constitution, approve the said Convention.
Report to be considered.