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Department of Transport

Report on the 2008 Local Government Budgets and Expenditure Review 2003/04 –

2009/10

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Overview

Part 1: Institutional Arrangements Part 2: Municipal Roads Infrastructure Part 3: Expenditure on Roads Infrastructure Part 4: Developments in the Public Transport

System

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PART 1: INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR TRANSPORT

Findings: Functional assignment between roads and

Public Transport is confusing and fragmented. [Agreed]

Poor coordination between Transport and other sectors undermines the efficiency and effectiveness of roads and public transport functions. [Agreed]

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Institutional Arrangements for TransportDoT Response to address finding 1: Roads Coordinating Body National Transport Master Plan 2050

coordination structure Committee of Transport Officials (COTO) Transport Sector Coordination Forum Host City Transport Technical Task Team

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Institutional Arrangements for TransportDoT Response to address finding 2: There is no coordinated planning of all the

sectors leading to conflicting priorities.

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PART 2: MUNICIPAL ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE Finding 1: One effect of economic growth has

been an increase in the number of vehicles on the roads [Agreed]

Finding 2: Vehicle overloading and breaches of road safety regulations continue to be major problems [Agreed]

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DoT Response to address finding 1: The Department of Transport fully supports the National

Maintenance Strategy developed by the Department of Public Works.

The DoT recognizes that in the roads sector sending funds down to municipalities is a challenge, the current condition of the road network has deteriorated with inadequate maintenance plans in place

Visual Condition Survey aligned with the budget and planning process to schedule effective maintenance works.

Provinces should play a stronger role in assisting weaker municipalities and successful examples of this are KZN, Limpopo and Gauteng through the 20T programme.

PART 2: MUNICIPAL ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE

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DoT Response to address finding 2: The Dot has an Overload control strategy,

which includes the building and upgrading of weigh bridge infrastructure.

RTMC has been fully capacitated with an adequate management structure, which has developed a strategy to deal with road safety, regulations and management.

PART 2: MUNICIPAL ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE

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PART 3: EXPENDITURE ON ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE

Finding 1: Difficult to get a clear consolidated picture on municipal expenditure on roads infrastructure and maintenance [Agreed]

Finding 2: Secondary cities roads infrastructure budgets are set to decrease [Agreed]

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DoT comments on finding 1: Mechanisms to accurately monitor and

disaggregate expenditure on routine maintenance, upgrading and rehabilitation activities are severely lacking in the majority of lower order municipalities.

PART 3: EXPENDITURE ON ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE

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DoT comments on finding 2: An acute skills shortage in general with some

municipalities having no technical staff in civil engineering

Lack of funds, which means that roads can’t be maintained and technical staff can’t be appointed.

The technical skill and money to maintain road management systems are lacking

PART 3: EXPENDITURE ON ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE

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PART 4: DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

Finding 1: The rail and bus services are subsidised but the mini bus taxi service is not [Agreed]

Finding 2: Many taxis are old, unroadworthy and in bad condition, resulting in frequent accidents [Agreed]

Finding 3: About 1.3 million South Africans use trains daily [Agreed]

Finding 4: Metrorail intends opening new lines in the next two years while improving the service of existing ones. [Agreed]

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PART 4: DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

Finding 5: Planning for land use and transport should be integrated. [Agreed]

Finding 6: The 2010 Fifa World Cup is intended to leave a lasting legacy of a more efficient and integrated transport system. [Agreed]

Finding 7: The BRT will operate in the central business districts and also in townships. [Agreed]

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PART 4: DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

DoT comments on the findings: Transforming road based public transport

subsidy schemes. Taxi Recap Programme and scrappings are

as per figures indicated. Metrorail has initiatives in place to increase

ridership which include rolling stock refurbishment.

Most of the infrastructure in support of 2010 will still be there post the event.