Chair, I think next year we are going to reverse the order of these Votes and start from Vote 37 upwards. When our study group looked at this department's Vote for 2010, we were in two minds as to whether to support it or not. Regretably, the consensus was that we oppose it and wait and see whether some of the positive signals that the Minister made in his budget speech become a reality.
It is now a well-known fact that the road infrastructure has been underfunded for many years now, resulting in many of our roads being in a state of disrepair. This has happened despite the continued efforts by the DA to get National Treasury to increase its allocation to the department through the creation of a dedicated road maintenance fund from the general fuel levy.
Now that this fund is a reality, it is incumbent upon the Minister to ensure a regular supply of funds flowing into it in order to gradually eliminate the backlogs which stand between R75 billion and R100 billion, and, at the same time, to improve access to basic services for many rural communities. The promised R3 billion injection over three years is a good start, but, clearly, it is below the needs.
The same can be said of our rail networks and rolling stock. Our economy cannot grow on the foundation of a deteriorating infrastructure. Massive investments are needed and where applicable and appropriate the private sector must be included to alleviate the fiscal drain that would result if these backlogs are funded solely from state coffers.
Public transport subsidisation is a necessity in a developing country such as ours, and with the massive World Cup spend in this area over the past three years, we have now been left with more mouths to feed in the way of Bus Rapid Transit systems, BRTs, buses and the recapitalised taxi fleet. Looking for additional funds is therefore very important if we are not going to go cap in hand again next year. So, the department must come up with a model that looks at subsidising the commuter as opposed to the system presently in use which is open to inefficiencies and abuse.
Finally, a serious look must be taken at the transfers going out into the hands of some of the department's agencies, which pay huge salary bills, and give little back in return, yet ask for more and more funds each year to undertake their mandates. Put these few things right, Minister, and you will get our support, but until then, you will have to live with the DA opposing your Vote, once more.