South Africa has one of the most modern and extensive transport
infrastructures in Africa. This infrastructure plays a crucial role
in the country's economy and is depended on by many neighbouring
states.
Four commercial companies deal with operational transport activities:
the SA National
Roads Agency (NRA), the SA Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa),
the Cross Border Road Transport
Agency (CBRTA) and the SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This
has freed up the Department
of Transport to focus on policy formulation, strategic planning
and regulation.
Public company Transnet
(a parastatal) is South Africa's main transport operator and is
the main holding company for SAA (airways), Spoornet (rail transport),
Autonet (road transport), Petronet (liquid petroleum), Portnet (port
authority) and freightdynamics (container shipments). Transnet accounts
for nearly 30% of goods transported by volume, with the balance
(70%) transported by private sector enterprises.
ROADS
South Africa has 754,600km of roads although about 30% of this road
system was unclassified - predominantly access roads in rural communities
and roads in settlements on the urban periphery.
- 9,600km of national roads, toll and non-toll, and all surfaced;
- 56,000 km of surfaced provincial roads;
- 300,000km of gravel provincial roads;
- 168,000km of urban roads, both surfaced and unsurfaced; and
- 221,000km of unclassified roads.
Approximately 1 900km are toll roads, serviced by 27 mainline toll
plazas.
Government projects to maintain new and existing roads, as well
as the construction of several new toll road developments, are currently
under way. Developments leading to further integration with SADC
member states are also being given priority.
The need for investment in road infrastructure is growing while
total expenditure on the road system has been declining.
The department is currently undertaking a study to develop a road
infrastructure strategic framework that will give effect to the
national vision of road transport in South Africa, taking into consideration
the socio-economic environment, national imperatives, policy goals,
institutional arrangements, funding mechanisms, current realities
and future scenarios as well as the needs and perceptions of the
road user.
The transport department's main aim is to formulate, co-ordinate,
implement and monitor transport strategies and policies in general
and to enhance safety, improve public transport and develop transport
infrastructure.
The principal objective is to ensure that the transport system
is integrated, safe, reliable and cost-effective. Other key objectives
include: facilitating access to and affordability of public transport
to the commuting public; planning, developing and maintaining transport
infrastructure to improve mobility and quality of life and to contribute
to economic development and promoting sector and enterprise reforms
in order to create a safe, reliable and competitive transport system.
Since the mid-nineties, government transport policy has undergone
several major reviews to this effect. One of the outcomes was the
tabling in Parliament in 2001 of the National Land Transport Amendment
Bill. Among other things, it provides for a completely new system
of "permissions" to replace permits for taxi and bus transport
and will lay the foundation for a fully integrated, long-term, user-oriented
land transport system.
RAIL
Spoornet and the SA Rail Commuter
Corporation (SARCC) control SA's rail network. Spoornet provides
goods, container services as well as long distance passenger services.
Metrorail, a division
of Transnet Ltd, is responsible for operating the metropolitan commuter
system. It is contracted to provide this service to the SARCC, which
owns the rolling stock and most of the infrastructure.
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