The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport, Mr Selelo Selamolela, during the weekly committee cluster media briefing, reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to work with other key roleplayers on the ground and aviation transport sectors for a meaningful contribution of the sectors to the growth of the South African economy. Mava Lukani reports.
Mr Selamolela said the committee had productive engagements with the Department of Transport and all its entities on their annual and performance reports for the 2023/24 financial year. These entities included the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), Transnet, the Railway Safety Regulator, Airports Company South Africa, Air Traffic and Navigation Services, South African Civil Aviation Authority, the South African National Road Agency Limited, the Road Traffic Management Corporation, the Road Traffic Infringement Agency, the Driving Licence Card Account, the South African Maritime Safety Authority, and the Ports Regulator.
The Chairperson commended the department for submitting its annual reports on time in compliance with the Public Finance Management Act. However, he noted that two entities, Transnet and South African Airways, submitted their reports separately, as they were previously under the Department of Public Enterprises but now fall under the committee’s oversight. The committee is one of the committees that have conducted oversight visits to all the entities in portfolios under their oversight responsibility.
Extortion in Infrastructure Projects
Mr Selamolela highlighted the challenges of extortion in road infrastructure projects after the South African National Roads Agency rolled them out. He said that these extortionists often demand 30% of the total tender amount for the project. He said the South African Police Service and other relevant stakeholders are actively addressing the problem. He referred to the Comprehensive Strategy to Combat Extortion, announced by the Minister of Police in Parliament in July, as a significant step forward. The Chairperson called on all South Africans to join the fight against extortion and other crimes, noting the progress in implementing the strategy.
Festive Season Road Safety Plan
The Chairperson also briefed the media on the Festive Season Road Safety Plan, which the committee described as the “best” to date. Mr Selamolela said the department assured the committee that all available resources and stakeholders are being deployed to promote safety on South African roads. Under the call “Let’s arrive alive”, the plan aims to reduce road fatalities and ensure safer travel during the festive season.
Legislative Focus
In the area of legislation, the committee is currently considering the Merchant Shipping Bill, which seeks to comprehensively overhaul South Africa’s maritime sector. Additionally, the committee is working on the Economic Regulation of Transport (ERT) Bill.
Taxi industry
Mr Selamolela said the taxi industry is a major component in the South African economy and plays a significant role in creating job opportunities. He said the industry has problems that are not beyond the capacity of its owners. It will overcome those contradictions as it grows like all other industries over time. He said the Revised Taxi Recapitalisation Programme, which aims to address challenges such as the inadequate scrapping allowance for old taxi vehicles, experiences a lack of funding problems.
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