Africa poses unique challenges for the provision and preservation of roads and road transport. To address some of these challenges, the South African Road Federation (SARF) in association with the International Road Federation (IRF) and the World Roads Association (PIARC), is hosting the Regional Conference for Africa in October.

The conference, which will be held under the theme Roads to Social and Economic Growth, will be held at the Durban International Convention Centre from 9 to 11 October 2018.

“This conference has become the flagship event for road infrastructure in Southern Africa and in 2018 it will be further enhanced by the participation of the IRF and PIARC,” says Saied Solomon, SARF president and chairman of the conference committee.

“Africa poses unique challenges for the provision and preservation of roads and road transport to serve an extensive range of needs in terms of economic development and social well-being. Demands range from providing national mobility, primarily for economic reasons, through to rural roads providing mobility and access to remote communities.”

Conference highlights

The conference organisers have secured a number of high level speakers, including Dr Allyson Lawless who will discuss Engineering Numbers and Needs in the SADC Region, as well as Michael G. Dreznes on the topic Work Zones Can and Must be Safer in South Africa, and Victor Radebe who will talk about Africa’s roadmap to connected, autonomous and electric vehicles.

The conference also includes a site visit to Cornubia, hailed as a successful Greenfields approach to future transportation. The development includes the Mt Edgecombe / Cornubia Interchanges which are some of the largest in South Africa. The incrementally launched main span at Mt Edgecombe is the also longest in the Southern Hemisphere. The project will also include three phases of Go!Durban’s Bus Rapid Transit system, currently under construction.

The first 200 delegates to register will receive a free copy of Dr Malcom Mitchell’s book Travels in the South; A history of South African Roads. The book by Dr Mitchell, retired Director General of the National Department of Transport, will be held by universities as the definitive reference book of South African roads.