Over the next financial year the Department of Transport says it will focus its energy on investing in developing the road, rail, maritime and aviation infrastructure networks in order to help unlock the full potential of the economy.
Sindisiwe Chikunga, Deputy Minister of Transport, says, “Integrating all forms of transport is key to economic growth.”
The department tabled the National Transport Master Plan at the end of the second quarter of the 2013/14 financial year, which Cabinet has since referred to the Inter-Ministerial Committee for consultations with the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC).
The master plan seeks to integrate different modes of transport, with the aim of bolstering economic activity and eventually growth.
Chikunga adds, “With the department’s budget not able to fund road infrastructure development, there was a need for government to come up with funding models.
“We have to find a way and actually begin to discuss the issue of funding models for infrastructure development, particularly road infrastructure development.
“We believe that this is a discussion that all of us need to participate in so that we do not just criticise when different funding models are introduced but we are able to say that this is the best effective funding model for our infrastructure development.”
Source – SAnews.gov.za