Transport

Transport systems form the backbone of South Africa’s socio-economic activities by enabling the
movement of people and products. Apartheid planning has left a legacy of poorly integrated
transport networks, and the majority of citizens live far from places of work. Many people still do
not have access to an existing and extensive formal railway and road infrastructure, and live in
areas where there is no reliable transport.
Transport has major implications for sustainable development, in particular as this relates to
atmospheric pollution and human settlements including urban sprawl. Sustainable transport is
critical for ensuring poverty alleviation, access to markets and employment, as well as to
education.
Substantial progress has been made towards the JPOI targets in the development of policies,
strategies and programmes for the transport sector in South Africa. Transport delivery projects
currently underway are comprehensive and address all areas of transportation needs to various
levels of detail. Priority areas of intervention include: public transport infrastructure and service
delivery; road expansion projects to deliver improved capacity and reduce congestion; and non-
motorised transport programmes, rural roads and infrastructure development.
To a large extent the 2010 FIFA World Cup has presented a significant stimulus to the transport
sector and service delivery especially with respect to public transport projects. As a result South
Africa is witnessing the most significant infrastructure construction and expenditure programme
since the early 1980s. However, the public transport focus remains largely on the urban area and
substantial work is still required to improve rural access and mobility.

Transport has major implications for sustainable development, in particular as this relates to
atmospheric pollution and human settlements including urban sprawl. Sustainable transport is
critical for ensuring poverty alleviation, access to markets and employment, as well as to
education. Box 4 below provides the Department of Transport draft vision for transport.

South Africa’s sustainable development vision for transport

Sustainable transport vision for South Africa is underpinned by the social, economical and
environmental pillars of sustainable development. It aims to provide an integrated, well-managed,
viable and sustainable transport infrastructure meeting national and regional goals into the 21st
century, in order to establish a coherent base to promote accessibility and the safe, affordable, reliable
movement of people, goods and services.

Transport infrastructure in South Africa will serve as a hub for transport in Southern Africa, promote
economic development by removing constraints on latent demand in development corridors,
encourage public passenger transport, allow for seamless intermodalism and be structured to ensure
environmental sustainability and achievement of international accepted standards.

Source: Drawn from White Paper for Transport Policy

Thematic context
Transport systems form the backbone of South Africa’s socio-economic activities by enabling the
movement of people and products. Apartheid planning has left a legacy of poorly integrated
transport networks, and the majority of citizens live far from places of work. Many people still do
not have access to an existing and extensive formal railway and road infrastructure, and live in
areas where there is no reliable transport.
South Africa has about 750 000km of roads and approximately 7.2 million licensed South African
drivers on the roads. Roads are the principal means of transporting commuters and freight,
including minerals. The limit for heavy goods vehicles is substantially higher than around the
world. South Africa has the 10th longest rail network in the world and connects with many
networks in the sub-Saharan region. Large parts of the network are underutilised with 42%
considered as light density (non-core network) and approximately 15% of the network providing
no service or decommissioned, closed or leased lines. Even though rail is cheaper, there has over
the past thirty years been a substantial reduction in rail freight in favour of road freight. Rural
and peri-urban communities have limited access to the rail network. The country has 20 airports
of national importance of which 10 are classified as international airports. Africa’s busiest
airport, O. R. Tambo, has about 9 million departing passengers a year. More than fifty airlines,
making around 280 000 aircraft landings and carrying about 33 million passengers a year, move
through South Africa’s principal airports. South Africa has approximately 4.4million arriving
international air passengers a year with less than 1% of total passenger air movement from local
and private airfields. However, airports handle less than 1% of the annual national and
international freight. There are 18 ports including 8 multi-purpose commercial ports including
purpose-built ports for coal and iron ore export. Maritime transport is of significance to South
Africa with respect to freight transport but South Africa has no navigable inland water ways. It is
estimated that 90 percent of all SADC trade passes through South African ports.
Petroleum products and gas are transported via a pipeline network transporting approximately 17
billion litres of petroleum products per year and 14 million gigajoules of gas, representing 50% of
South Africa’s consumption. Pipelines servicing the inland regions are old and run at full
capacity, and are thus unable to meet the inland demand for liquid fuel, which is also being
transported by rail and road. Several new pipeline projects are underway or in the planning
stages. South Africa also has an extensive network of pipelines which supply water for
agricultural, domestic and industrial uses.
The South African public transport system comprises state-sponsored public bus and rail
commuter services. This is supplemented by privately run minibus taxis. Minibus taxis account
for 65% of ‘public’ transport with buses at 20% and rail 15%. Since the 1970’s, the majority of
commuters switched from the bus and rail modes to minibus taxis given their ease of access and
coverage. Given that subsidies apply to state rail and bus services, these travellers (many of
whom are poor) do not experience the benefit. Further, the loosely-regulated minibus taxi
industry often relies on poorly maintained, un-roadworthy vehicles and poorly trained drivers.
The bulk of relatively affluent commuters rely on private cars for their transport.

JPOI targets
The transport targets 7 (i); 20 (b); 21 (a; b); 35; 47 (c) and 62 (l) outlined in the JPOI can be
summarized as follows:

• Build basic rural infrastructure and improve transportation and access to markets,
market information and credit for the rural poor for sustainable development;

• Integrate energy considerations, including energy efficiency, affordability and

accessibility, into socio -economic programmes;

• Promote an integrated approach to policy -making at the national, regional and local
levels for transport services and systems to promote sustainable development;

• Implement transport strategies for sustainable development to improve the

affordability and efficiency of transportation, for improved air quality and health;

• Promote investment and partnerships for the development of sustainable energy

efficient multi-modal transportation systems;

• Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social
development;

• Encourage governments to improve measures and internationally agreed regulations

regarding safety, relevant to international maritime transportation and other
transboundary movement of radioactive material;

• Enhance the capacities of developing countries to benefit from liberalized trade

opportunities;

• Support African efforts to develop affordable transport systems and infrastructure

that promote sustainable development and connectivity in Africa.

Progress
Participation in international processes
South Africa is Party to a number of multilateral treaties, conventions and declarations relevant to
transport. The African Civil Aviation Commission provides for coordination and cooperation of
civil aviation authorities of member states. Maritime agreements include the African Maritime
Transport Charter which seeks to harmonise shipping policies, a Trilateral Agreement, as well as
ratification of Annexes from the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships. There is reported inadequacy of South Africa’s port waste reception facilities (PRF) and
the requirement for ships to pay the fees for use of these PRFs. DEA has recommended that the
“no-special-fee” system should be introduced in all South African ports, and that this be actively
promoted as a standard international requirement.
Within the sub-region, SADC has a Protocol on Transport, Communication and Meteorology to
achieve economic growth and development, and trade facilitation via strategic transport corridors
which ensure regional connectivity.

Developments in policy framework

There are numerous acts, policies, discussion papers, plans, and reviews that impact on the
transport system. JPOI Target 21 focuses on the implementation of an integrated policy making
approach for transport services and systems. Policy and guidelines that have been developed on
transport at varying levels includes the White Paper on National Transport Planning which
contributed towards the integration of transport planning and preceded the enactment of
legislation dealing with land transport and allocation of functions within government. Strategic
frameworks embody the overarching plans and foundation for land transport and infrastructure.
Aspects include: road maintenance and improvements; efficient coordination and service
delivery; funding sustainability and labour intensive skills development and job creation. The
Draft National Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Policy outlines the Department of Transport
(DoT) objectives for mainstreaming this mode of transport at the provincial and local level.
Provinces and municipalities are required to produce integrated five year transport plans.

Actions in response to international and local policy

This section presents some of the key actions that have been undertaken in response to
international and local policy aimed at strengthening transport for sustainable development.
Transport Planning
Government endorsed the decision to prepare the National Transport Master Plan 2050
(NATMAP) which spans from 2005 to 2050. NATMAP responds to JPOI Target 21 in that it
facilitates sustainable socio-economic growth and integrated development planning at a macro
project scale. NATMAP provides a framework for multimodal transportation systems
implementation and monitoring. Key projects that fall under the NATMAP include Gautrain,
2010 FIFA World Cup infrastructure construction programme, Taxi Recapitalisation and the
Freight Databank. Planned enhancements to the core network are envisaged which will improve
efficiency of the rail network and reduce pressure on the road network.
Rural transport delivery
Rural South Africa is characterised by poor infrastructure, large distances, dispersed demand and
low incomes. The Rural Transport Strategy for South Africa (RTSSA) highlights the plight of the
rural poor and the need for transport infrastructure and services to catalyse access to social
services and poverty alleviation. The strategy promotes coordinated rural nodal and linkage
development, and outlines the need for demand-responsive and sustainable rural transport. The
RTSSA moves beyond roads and explores sustainable and innovative interventions to address
rural access and mobility. The Department of Transport (DoT) has initiated pilot demonstration
projects including the National Freight Logistics Strategy in response to the failure of the freight
system, and to target the second economy which is largely rural. The Expanded Public Works
Programme (EPWP) is a government initiative focussed on reducing unemployment and
enhancing skills development. The focus of the programme has largely been on road construction,
thus providing new roads in many rural areas.
Energy efficient and accessible modes of transport
The NMT has highlighted the bicycle as a low-cost and sustainable form of transport via the
Shova Kalula Programme. The focus of this programme is on young people and those walking
long distances. Rural areas, townships and medium sized cities have been identified as starting
points for use of bicycles. At present South Africa is targeting some 800 000 primary and
secondary school children that walk more than 3km per day and an estimated 573000 and 472000
urban and rural workers currently walking more than 20 minutes to work each day.
Implementation of the subsidy policy pertaining to the programme has proved to be a challenge.
Public commuter transport
The Public Transport Strategy for South Africa aims to radically accelerate the improvement in
public transport through modal upgrading and establishment of Integrated Rapid Public Transport
Networks (IRPTN) via Priority Rail Corridors and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in metropolitan
areas. The action plan focuses on incremental implementation of passenger transportation
services and fast tracks implementation in the 2010 FIFA World Cup cities. Passenger rail is
prioritised to assist with achieving integrated planning. The majority of cities have chosen a Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) system, proven in developing countries worldwide to be the most cost
effective and flexible mass mover. This is aimed at achieving congestion and improving the
quality of public transport.

Improvements in transport infrastructure

Significant strides have been taken recently in the improvement of urban transport infrastructure.
The National Overload Control Strategy (NOCS) is enabling the prevention of overloading
through strategically placed weighbridges and the extension of liability for overloading. The
economic hub of South Africa is Gauteng where the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project
(GFIP) is intended to address congestion and time spent in traffic. Rail is being used as an
alternative for long distance passenger and tourist transport which alleviates road congestion
during peak periods. Further, a five-year capital expenditure programme for airports is being
rolled out to accommodate new generation aircraft and growing passenger numbers.
In order to improve capacity and efficiency of South Africa's ports, Transnet has initiated a
capital investment programme. It is anticipated that improvements including the deepening of
Durban harbour and new cranes at Cape Town will address congestion from the inefficiency of
the rail system. A deepwater port complex has recently been commissioned for Coega. The
industrial development zone is already well-serviced by transportation networks, a skilled labour
force and utility services, including inter-modal transportation linkages and cost-effective bulk
services.
Taxi industry
The taxi industry remains relatively unregulated and taxi fares are not subsidised by the
government. Taxis are thus relatively expensive and in many cases are not profitable if
replacement of the vehicle is factored into the cost structure. The South African government has a
taxi recapitalisation programme (TRP), the key objectives of which are to improve commuter
safety and stimulate empowerment through transport. Through the TRP, old taxis are replaced by
new roadworthy vehicles.
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup has accelerated city transport planning and construction in the host
cities and has offered a unique opportunity to significantly upgrade the public and non-motorized
transport infrastructure. Associated construction projects are contributing significantly to the
provision of additional land based and public transport capacity.

Fuel and energy efficiency

The DMR and the DEA have collaborated in a joint strategy dealing with control of Exhaust
Emissions from Road Going Vehicles. Although this primarily has dealt with the removal of lead
from petrol and reduced sulphur in diesel, other undesirable components have also been removed
from the fuels. The strategy also has a roadmap for government, the oil industry and the vehicle
manufacturing industry for achieving improved air quality through the control of vehicle
emissions. The National Climate Change Response Strategy further highlights the effect that
sectors including transport have on climate change via greenhouse gas emissions. Mitigation
measures include addressing emissions from the freight and commercial transport sector and
travel demand management initiatives for private cars. The DoT has highlighted the BRT,
Gautrain, GFIP, Consolidation of Rail transport, the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme and the
NMT programme as initiatives addressing GHG emissions.

Monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation of transport related issues is conducted by a range of organisations,
including the DoT, dti and Transnet, and reported on in their respective technical and annual
reports. Transport is also featuring in the state of environment reports undertaken by national,
provincial and local government using indicators such as the modal split of passenger transport
and that of freight transport. Supplementary technical information pertaining to transport is
provided by Statistics South Africa, Department of Energy and the Development Bank of
Southern Africa. The National Household Travel Survey is South Africa's first representative
nationwide household travel survey. The Survey provides strategic insight into the travel patterns
and transport problems of the people of South Africa. In analysing the survey results, access to
transport, affordability of transport and safety are highlighted.
Means of implementation
Capacity-building, education, training and awareness-raising
At the regional level, South Africa participates in capacity building and training initiatives within
the Nepad framework. One of the foci of these training programmes is to strengthen the capacity
of African countries to implement regional seas conventions and related regional and global
programmes of action. At a national level, the country has a number of cooperative relationships
with development partners on capacity building, as well as research and development.
Cooperation agreements include intelligent transport systems such as electronic toll collection,
integrated traffic management and incident detection and emergency response, road infrastructure
and automotive research. Science and technology partnerships also include alternative fuels,
vehicle production and design and public transport systems specifically buses.
The DoT, South African National Roads Agency Limited and provincial transport authorities
offer transport career exhibitions and road shows as a means to attracting young people and skills
into the sectors.

Mobilisation of finance
Poorly integrated transport planning and development has left South Africa with a transport
system that does not facilitate the easy movement of people and goods. Rapid economic growth
since the mid-1990s has placed additional pressure on the country’s transport system, notably
public transport. However, Government investment in public transport has increased significantly
to address these challenges. Funds for infrastructure and transport are obtained from a variety of
fragmented sources and distributed to a large number of entities for the implementation and
management of transport in South Africa. At present South Africa is under-spending relative to
international statistics with respect to road infrastructure, spending 3% rather than 5% of GDP on
this purpose. There is considerable debate in South Africa around use of tax and revenue to
support investment, as well as the potential opportunities that Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)
may offer.
Funding mechanisms in government include the Annual Infrastructure Grant to provinces and the
Municipal Infrastructure Grant, 15% of which is allocated for public transport infrastructure. The
Municipal Income Grant supplements capital finance for basic municipal infrastructure for poor
households, micro enterprises and social institutions. Provinces and municipalities also have their
own revenue sources by way of motor vehicle licence fees and road tolls. Provincial taxes and
national transfers contribute more than 95% of total provincial revenue.
The Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems Grant (PTIF) provides for accelerated planning
and implementation of public and non-motorised transport. PTIF grants provide for transport
modes such as bus and rail, as well as integrated urban transport management. The Government
has allocated more than R9 billion for municipal transport, precinct upgrading, roads and rail
services to directly support 2010. This is on top of wider general investment in public transport
and ports of entry, and investment by other spheres of government and the private sector.
Government has further made resolutions on aligning budget for development of rural transport to
meet the current Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Cycle. The focus is on non-
motorised transport projects, coordination of rural transport operations and strengthening of rural
freight and logistical services. Transport subsidies are paid in the form of bus subsidies, rail
subsidies and special grants, but the amount is not keeping pace with inflation.
At the SADC level, a Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology commits
countries to implement road funding policies and harmonised national road user charging
systems, as well as harmonised cross-border road user charging systems. A Regional Cross
Border Road User Charges Collection Association is contemplated by the SADC countries in
order to harmonise Road User Charges in the region.

Technology development, transfer and dissemination

Science, engineering, technology and associated research and development are central to
sustainable infrastructure for South Africa. The Department of Science and Technology (DST),
dti and DoT promote research and development in the sector. Transport-related research is
undertaken by institutions such as the CSIR and is applied by engineering companies and
professionals in the practice, design and construction methods in infrastructural projects. The
large number of infrastructural projects has necessitated the sourcing of engineering and
construction expertise from elsewhere in the world, allowing for a transfer and dissemination of
new transport techniques and technologies. There has been significant effort focused on
development of electric and hybrid vehicles, notably the ‘Joule’ which uses 20% of the energy of
a normal car.

Participation of major groups

A South African Network of Women in Transport (SANWIT) was officially launched in
2007/2008 and institutionalised as an organisation to empower and mainstream women in
transport opportunities. The objective of SANWIT is to support and develop women owned and
operated transport enterprises. The Rea Vaya public participation process is cited as an example
of participation of major stakeholder groups in the development of a public transport project. Key
stakeholders include the taxi and bus industry, scholars, the disabled and unions. The public
participation process for Rea Vaya BRT culminated in a Public Transport Summit on 15 August
2009 and the development of a Public Transport Declaration in which 1300 stakeholder voted to
uphold the BRT.

Cooperative frameworks and partnerships

NATMAP provides a framework for cooperation and partnership in the transport sector. It
provides the platform for roleplayers to proactively address the linkages with transport, energy,
environment and sustainability, although the ramifications of these have to date not been
explicitly and /or extensively addressed within the NATMAP. The NATMAP Project
Management has decided that a Working Group specifically for Energy and Environment be
constituted as soon as possible. Given the extent of the transport sector issues pertaining to
energy, environment and sustainability will cut across the entire scope of NATMAP and will play
an important role in shaping policy.

Lessons learned and best practices

The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link and Bus Rapid Transit projects are considered to be
examples of best practice in the transport sector.
BRT
Rea Vaya, the BRT in Johannesburg, represents the single largest climate change
initiative ever undertaken by the City of Johannesburg replacing poor quality buses and
implementing low-sulphur diesel usage. The articulated buses make use of advanced
pollution reduction equipment. The City of Johannesburg has estimated an expected
saving of 382,940 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions as a result of the implementation of
the Rea Vaya system by 2010, and by 2020 would save about 1.6 million tons of CO2
equivalent emissions. The DoT is assisting 7 other South African cities in planning and
implementing similar plans.
Gautrain Rapid Rail Link
The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link has catalysed a new and innovative standard for public
transport and is facilitating the movement of commuters travelling between the
administrative and commercial centres of Gauteng Province. It incorporates 80km of rail
and 10 stations opening up access on a north-south axis which once operational will
potentially remove large numbers of private vehicles off the roads. The project is
multimodal transport and relies on other forms of transport such as taxis, BRT and NMT
to support the overall transport network. Other regions of South Africa have selected rail
commuter transport projects as the main “flagship” projects. The Moloto Rail Corridor
project is one example, and will link rural communities in Mpumalanga with Gauteng.
The ‘Joule’
The locally developed ‘Joule’ is Africa's first all-electric car. This zero-emission vehicle
is a six-seater multi-purpose vehicle sets out to provide efficient use of energy and
reduction of climate change, using only 20% of the energy needed by a conventional car.
Technology which has enabled the development of the vehicle includes the dramatic
improvement in lithium ion battery price, life and performance. A further advantage is
that the batteries do not make use of heavy metals. It will take approximately seven hours
to recharge the car's battery pack for a 200 kilometre driving range, with the two battery
packs providing 400 kilometres in total. Independent analysis of Eskom has confirmed
that the South African grid has existing capacity for recharging millions of cars at night
without affecting its customer base. It is expected that the local content of the Joule will
 be more than 50%, and has been designed with the international market in mind. The
vehicle is anticipated to become available towards the end of 2010.

Challenges and opportunities

Despite solid progress in addressing the transport issues outlined in the JPOI, South Africa is still
faced with a number of challenges that need to be addressed. In many instances these challenges
present opportunities for strengthening transport systems in the country.

Transport legacy
In the past, the transportation sector has been considered to have a poor track record of policy
formulation and implementation. The transport sector has also been criticised for ineffectual
regulatory enforcement for issues such as overloading, vehicle roadworthiness and licensing
which in turn has an impact on commuter safety, condition of roads and access to transportation,
and a failure to observe sector responsibilities which may create confusion in implementation
phases of new transportation infrastructure. Thus South Africa’s transport system has poor
integration and connectivity.
Given the large capital cost of infrastructural development it will take time to change this
situation. Integrated transport planning and investment in public transport are essential elements
for a more efficient transport system. The 2010 FIFA World Cup has served to both elevate
public transportation, and has fast-tracked investment plans into this sector. It is now necessary to
consolidate these efforts, such as through the RTSSA which also looks at the development of
rural rail branch lines or low and light density lines as an opportunity to facilitate penetration into
the rural areas.
Maintenance of infrastructure
Substantial disinvestment in road infrastructure since the 1980’s combined with rapid increases in
traffic volumes as well as deregulation of freighting, have contributed to a decline in safety and
quality of the road network. This has serious implications for vehicle emission levels, economic
development and safety. The concessioning of portions of national road has assisted in
maintaining a portion of the road network. However here is an urgent need for government to
continue to invest in maintenance and renewal of transport infrastructure, as there is generally
insufficient budget allocation for infrastructure maintenance at all levels of government. The
EPWP offers the opportunity to expand job creation and skills development projects in favour of
construction and infrastructure maintenance projects.
Technical skills
South Africa is facing a number of challenges with respect to the availability of technical and
civil engineering skills required to provide service delivery in infrastructure and transportation,
especially at the local level. This presents tertiary education institutions with opportunities to
respond to this shortage by encouraging graduates and matriculants into the civil engineering
field. Partnerships are needed to ensure appropriate targeting of training, through skills
development and job creation programmes that focus on technology solutions to construction and
maintenance of infrastructure.
Research and development
There is very little investment on transport-related research and technology development in South
Africa. The current 2% spending of GDP on road infrastructure is less than half what is required
for a country at its stage of development. The poor state of infrastructure and inadequately skilled
professionals in the infrastructure sector impacts on research and development, and requires
urgent focus on the development of new knowledge, engineering technologies and skilled human
resources.

Sustainable fuel sources

The transport sector is the most rapidly growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in South
Africa, and accounted for about 19% of South Africa’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2000.
Road transport is the highest energy user in the transport sector by mode. There is a need to carry
out ongoing review of fuel specifications towards cleaner vehicle technology in order to improve
urban air quality in South Africa. The South African industry has embarked on a process of
gathering information for future fuel specifications through a multi-stakeholder process based on
review of impact of vehicle emissions on air quality.
Coordination
Fragmentation and multiple roleplayers in the transportation sector present a challenge to
coordinated planning and implementation, as well as management of funding. This leads to ad
hoc and unequal implementation of infrastructure projects. It also contributes to a mismatch
between economic development and transport capacity. There is a need to align policies, as well
as roles and mandates within the transport sector.

Conclusion
Substantial progress has been made towards the JPOI targets in the development of policies,
strategies and programmes for the transport sector in South Africa. Transport delivery projects
currently underway are comprehensive and address all areas of transportation needs to various
levels of detail. Priority areas of intervention include:

• public transport infrastructure and service delivery

• road expansion projects to deliver improved capacity and reduce congestion

• non-motorised transport programmes, rural roads and infrastructure development.

To a large extent the 2010 FIFA World Cup has presented a significant stimulus to the transport
sector and service delivery especially with respect to public transport projects. As a result South
Africa is witnessing the most significant infrastructure construction and expenditure programme
since the early 1980s. However, the public transport focus remains largely on the urban area and
substantial work is still required to improve rural access and mobility.