Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has officially launched the 2016 October Transport Month Campaign under the theme ‘Together we move South Africa Forward’.

The minister kicked off the programme on 1 October in Mmorogong village in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality in the North West by opening the Provincial Road P54/1 between Matooster and Ruighoek. The road was severely deteriorating and had to be rehabilitated.

The new 31 km road will link communities of Mmorogong and Tlhatlhaganyane and is an important economic contributor that will also links the Rustenburg and Pilanesberg areas.

“Transport remains at the heart of our development, because transport is the heartbeat of the economy. Government is investing in the transport sector as part of the country’s Nine-Point Plan to stimulate development and create jobs,” Peters said at the launch.

The month-long October Transport Month Campaign programme, officially launched in 2005, showcases transport infrastructure projects, promotes the use of public transport and advances the country’s road safety initiatives including the 365-Days road Safety Campaign aimed at promoting road safety throughout the year.

 

Gauteng programme underway

MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi kicked off the October Transport Month Campaign on 4 October with the launch of a R24 million road rehabilitation project in Evaton, Sedibeng.

The new D904 known the ‘old Evaton road’ is in need of substantial repair as it had degraded over the years and posed a safety risk for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians travelling from Evaton to Emfuleni and Midvaal via the R82/Old Vereeniging Road.

The 10 months rehabilitation project involves the rehabilitation of the existing roadway, cleaning and improving drainage structures, installing concrete edge beams at accesses, and improving safety features and road markings.

“The road serves as an important connector in the local economy improving access to local markets and benefitting taxi operators, scholar transport vehicles and freight trucks travelling from Sebokeng to other parts of the Gauteng,” said Vadi.

The theme for this year’s Gauteng campaign is the ‘Modernisation of the Public Transport System in Gauteng’.

In the course of next month, the Department, in partnership with the municipalities, will host a variety of events cutting across the Gauteng City Region to promote public transport and sustainable mobility.