Hon Chairperson, hon Minister Ndebele, Deputy Minister Cronin, hon members of the House and distinguished guests ...
... nine bekunene, nami ngitsi angivakalise buhlungu lobuvela etibilini tenhlitiyo yami ngamake wesive. Sishayeke ludvuma lolungeke luphole nanini ngekushiywa ngumake Sisulu.
Tiyajabula tingelozi Tasezulwini ngekwemukela litsemba letfu. Natsi sesibhodlela emswaneni nje sitsi, lala ngekuthula make wetfu. Uwentile umsebenti wakho. Sitawuhlala sikukhumbula, nawe ungasikhohlwa. (Translation of Siswati paragraphs follows.)
[... ladies and gentlemen, let me express my deepest heartfelt pain about the mother of the nation. We have suffered a great loss that will last forever with the death of Mrs Sisulu.
The angels of heaven must be happy to welcome a person who brought us hope. We are also expressing our condolences by saying, rest in peace, our mother. You have played your role. We will always remember you; you must also not forget us.]
The spear has fallen. Pick it up.
Mgcinisihlalo, singuKhongolose kanye nekomidi elisebenza eNdlini yoMkhandlu Kazwelonke Wezifundazwe sithanda ukunxusa zonke izakhamizi zaKwaZulu- Natali, ikakhulukazi kwaDukuza, ukuba ziyeke udlame ngoba zikhona izindlela kanye nemigudu engcono engasetshenziswa ukusombulula izinkinga zabo ezimayelana nezokuthutha.
Mgcinisihlalo, kunomculi waseMpumalanga ocula umculo wezokholo owaqamba iculo elithi "basheshe bahleka inkosi ingizwile". Yebo, nathi singuKhongolose sivumelana naye lo mculi ngoba ngokhetho lukamasipala olusanda kudlula i-DA yajabula sengathi idle ubhedu ngalolu khetho kanti nguKhongolose ophumelele ngokuthi wengamele izifundazwe eziyisishiyagalombili phezu kwezifundazwe eziyisishiyagalolunye. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Chairperson, as the ANC together with the National Council of Provinces, we would like to ask the communities of KwaZulu-Natal, especially those in KwaDukuza, to stop the violence because there are better channels to follow in trying to resolve their problems concerning transport.
Chairperson, there's a musician from Mpumalanga who sings a gospel song which says, "They were quick to laugh whereas God heard my prayers". Of course, as the ANC we agree with this musician because during the recent local government elections the DA was happy as if it had won the election, only to find that the ANC won the elections by taking eight out of the nine provinces.]
The context of the 52nd national conference mandate on transport is directed at the development of a single, efficient, safe, integrated, co- ordinated public transport system that drives the development of the mixed economy wherein the state, private capital, co-operatives and other forms of social ownership complement each other in an integrated way to eliminate poverty and foster shared economic growth.
The transport system should be seen as a strategic and enabling factor for economic growth and development by creating linkages and access to and between the various geographic and socioeconomic sectors of the country.
The transport system must achieve industrial diversification, a development network between small businesses and co-operatives, micro enterprises, rural and urban regions, the empowerment of youth, the disabled and women, while sustaining local economic development. The transport system has a responsibility to facilitate transformation in cities, towns and rural areas in order to build cohesive, sustainable and caring communities with closer access to work and social amenities, including sport and recreation facilities.
Critically, the transport system must provide an affordable and safe means of transport for communities and those who use public transport as a means to get to work. The development of rail infrastructure and networks, the recommissioning of the rural rail network and the enhancement of it being an economic hub for rural communities must be pursued. The interconnectedness of the rail, bus and taxi systems must be enhanced.
In 2007, Cabinet identified a number of challenges for the efficient functioning of the public transport system. A number of interventions have been rolled out to address these challenges, such as the Bus Rapid Transit System. In addition, a transport plan for nonmotorised forms of transport and other environmental interventions are at an advanced stage.
In this regard, Comrade President Zuma, in his state of the nation address, declared 2011 the year of job creation and the creation of decent work in the overall transformation of the economy. Transport is one of the drivers of economic growth and job creation in our country. This is possible through building an efficient and safe public transport system that is accessible and affordable. It is for this reason that we welcome the new economic growth path, which, amongst other things, promotes those sectors which are designed to be labour absorbing.
This Budget Vote should be able to demonstrate that our transport sector promotes economic growth and addresses infrastructure needs. While there has been a pronouncement of the restoration of the rural transport network, including rail and road, this budget needs to reflect this.
I want to take this opportunity to indicate the following things:
Mgcinisihlalo sizothanda ukudlulisa loku okulandelayo kuNgqongqoshe wezokuThutha, izakhamizi zaseMpumalanga endaweni yakwaNdebele - ngingaqondisile kuwe Mhlonishwa uManzankosi - zicela ukuthi lolu hlelo lokwakhiwa komzila wesitimela ozosiza ukunciphisa isiminyaminya sezinqola emgwaqeni obizwa ngokuthiwa u-Moloto, sengathi ungakhiwa ngokukhulu ukucophelela ukuze kugwemeke izingozi eziningi ezenzeka kulo mgwaqo.
Izakhamizi zaseNyakatho Koloni - ikakhulukazi ezihlala buqamama nendlela enkulu u-N7 eya eNamibia nase-Angola - zicela ukuthi uhulumeni makabhekelele ukuthuthukiswa kwemigwaqo esingathi yimigwaqo okuyiwona khiye noma ebalulekile kwigalelo lokuletha izinsiza nentuthuko kuyo yonke imiphakathi yaseNyakatho Koloni. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Chairperson, we would like to say this to the Minister of Transport. The communities of Mpumalanga in the former KwaNdebele - not referring to you, hon Manzankosi - are requesting that the construction of a railway line which will reduce traffic congestion in Moloto Road, be done with great care to avoid the high rate of accidents on this road.
The communities of the Northern Cape, especially those that live away from the N7 highway to Namibia and Angola, are requesting that the government look into the development of roads which are very important in respect of service delivery and the development of all the communities of the Northern Cape.]
The Department of Transport is charged with providing a safe, reliable, effective, efficient and fully integrated transport system, and infrastructure that best meets the needs of our people. Part of this focus is to ensure that services provided are affordable for our people. The transport sector can play a key role in the economy by ensuring the movement of goods, people and services.
The majority of South Africans are poor and use trains, buses and taxis and this should inform transport approaches. It is in this regard that we should promote an integrated transport system. By having a coherent policy, fragmentation will be minimised and the roles of the different rail stakeholders clarified.
Our people need an efficient and reliable public transport system. Rail and road infrastructure and capacity must be improved not only to serve commuters or passengers, but also to be able to carry agricultural, mining and construction products.
There should be a revitalisation of the rail and road infrastructure, both local and long distance, particularly rural rail lines. Small towns and farming rail stations and rural roads should be revived for the commercial use and the transportation of goods and people. The rail network, in particular, is an important component of our economic infrastructure and it must be maintained and upgraded.
The rail sector has experienced declines in freight tonnage, losing out to road freight. This situation has resulted in road deterioration, congestion, high carbon emissions and an increased occurrence of road fatalities and serious injuries. Addressing road fatalities, traffic congestion and corruption in the transport sector will not happen through law enforcement, arrests, convictions and harsh fines alone. We need to build a strong public transport system that is reliable and efficient through this Budget Vote. Public transport requires increased safety supervision, and it tends to be overcrowded, particularly when it comes to both local and long-distance trains.
We welcome the provincial roads maintenance grant which is to be implemented through the Division of Revenue Act in order to ensure efficient investment in provincial roads. We note that its purpose is to supplement provincial roads investments and support preventive, routine and emergency maintenance on provincial road networks.
The expenditure of this grant must be in accordance with maintenance requirements, as identified by the road asset management system. This Budget Vote must improve the condition of the roads and extend the lifespan of the road infrastructure.
We need to fast-track the efficient implementation and monitoring of programme management units in all provinces. We need to guarantee passenger safety. Poor performance should be detected in advance through the monitoring mechanism. Companies that are in partnership with government should be subjected to vigorous monitoring and evaluation of their performance.
We welcome the department's Budget Vote emphasis on investments in infrastructure for the benefit of our economy and people. In this regard, public-private partnerships can play key roles in building new roads, bridges and rail lines. However, the state's leading role in infrastructure development and the overall transport system is critical in ensuring reliable and quality service, consistency and accountability.
In conclusion, improvement in the transport system and the rolling out of more trains, buses and infrastructure with momentum will have a positive impact on the creation of jobs within the transport industry. The monitoring and evaluation mechanism will lead to greater efficiency, safety and more reliable transport systems across our provinces. It is for these reasons that the ANC supports Budget Vote No 37. I thank you. [Applause.]