Hon Chairperson, Minister Mbalula, Deputy Minister, hon Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport, hon members, ladies and gentlemen good evening. It humbles me to participate in this debate at this time where our people, especially in rural areas are finding it difficult to access public transport. Some of them are still dying in fatal accidents.
IsiXhosa:
Sivile apha utata nexesha esithi uyaqala ukuyibona le nto. Iye yasothusa kakhulu loo nto kodwa saqonda ukuba yiyo le nto abantu bevotela i-ANC. I- ANC iyayazi into yokuba abantu bayafa ezindleleni kwaye inesisombululo sayo. Le nto Sihlalo, ibangelwa yinto yokuba...
English:
... our history has a footprint that the South African public transport was never a priority. However, we must appreciate the brave decision taken by the democratic government to put public transport at the centre of the economic development of our country.
IsiXhosa:
Kuwe Mphathiswa ohloniphekileyo nesekela lakhe sinethemba lokuba oku kuza kwenzeka.
English:
In reference to what the President has alluded to the June state of the nation address in 2019 that:
We must improve the affordability, safety and integration of commuter transport for low income households.
As the ANC we strongly agree with our President as most South Africans who use public transport are poor and are also working class. The ANC manifesto is very clear on public transport that it must be accessible to all and in particular, the marginalised.
Furthermore, the ANC will invest in rail infrastructure to ensure that it is safe, reliable and be integrated with other modes of the public transport. Rail must be on the backbone of our public transport system. As the ANC, we will be working with
the taxi industry and transform it by supporting the initiatives that ensure that it is safe, clean and provides quality service. We will support the training of drivers and ensure that industry players participate in the broader transportation agenda.
We will modernise public transport permits to prevent corruption and support the roll-out of the Bus Rapid Transport Systems in the city such as the Buffalo City and Polokwane. We will, as the ANC invest in public transport infrastructure and support the integration of various modes of transport through a single ticketing system.
The Department of Transport is working very hard to implement the Auditor- General's report and working together with the committee it shall achieve greater heights. However, we need to accelerate the transformation regarding gender equity, hon Minister. We find ourselves having a department with the majority of men in a country where there are millions of capable women.
IsiXhosa:
Usibonisile apha ukuba kukho amantombazana amahle, afundileyo kwaye anokwazi ukungena kwezi zithuba kakuhle.
English:
The Department of Transport, hon Chair, also has a huge and a strategic task to make sure that it shifts from reducing the administration of the department to actors. The Director Generals and Deputy Directors are mostly on acting basis and this is delaying the implementation and the progress of the department that you have just articulated. Therefore, the department must appoint all functionaries to the relevant positions in order to fast- track the progress in this department.
The Department of Transport and its administration is the sole responsibility of the national government and it shall remain as such.
IsiXhosa:
Siyababona kea bantu abaziphuphelayo nje abasafuna ukuzisa amaphandle bewafaka ngeefestile besithi ...
English:
... the rail in the Western Cape must be looked after by the provincial government.
IsiXhosa:
Liphupha ke eloo kuba bazamile ngomhla we-08 kuCanzibe wama-2019 kodwa abantu bethu ababavanga ukuba bathini.
English:
That is why hon Chair, this is going to remain a dream. Hon Chair, the problem that this administration should deal with is that of consultants. The department is spending a lot of money using consultants and most of the work is never done. Every now and then our trains are burnt, wires and electric copper are stolen yet there is security personnel hired by the Metro Rail. It is high time that the Department of Transport, Police and State Security meet and discuss to pave a way forward on how to deal with this animal that is destroying our rail system.
Our buses are torched whenever there are taxi strikes. This must come to an end if all the responsible stakeholders meet and pave
a way forward. Indeed as ANC we must grow South Africa together. ANC supports Budget Vote of the Department of Transport, I thank you.