Transportation is the lifeblood of everything that happens across our country, writes Phumulo Masualle.
Imagine life in our towns, cities, villages and communities without adequate transportation! How would people, goods and information move from point A to B in productive and consequential ways? People and places around the world rely on transport facilities for connection and interaction. Whether it is for getting to work in a city, town or village in an urban or rural area, transportation infrastructure is a critical element of any society.
As a foundation upon which modern economies are built, transport infrastructure is a fundamental component of globalisation and it conditions and influences accessibility and mobility in profound and meaningful ways. It shapes and reshapes landscapes, it alters time-space relationships.
That is why October Transport Month has become an annual formal campaign across our Rainbow Nation. We use the campaign to highlight the strides made in ensuring that all South Africans have access to high-quality and affordable transport infrastructure and services.
October is the month when the national and provincial government, including the municipalities and parastatals are together promoting their work in transport while transportation geographers analyse accessibility and mobility problems within a spatial framework.
Urban and rural growth across South Africa over the past years have provided enormous mobility challenges. More than half of the world’s population now lives in urban environments, with fast-growing megacities, sprawling suburbs and rural villages creating significant accessibility and mobility challenges at multiple scales.
So if we all agree that transport infrastructure plays an important role in our country by bringing people together for socio-economic interaction, and that transport helps restructure spatial relationships between people and places, contributes to overcoming barriers of time and distance, and facilitates enhanced connectivity, what are we doing to make sure that inadequate transportation systems will not be the Achilles’ heel of socio-economic development?
More than 800 000 people are employed in the transport sector in South Africa, of which 453 000 are in road transport. The Department of Transport has set aside a R53.3 billion budget to cover road, rail, public transport, civil aviation, maritime, integrated transport planning and for administration.
Across the country, the SA National Roads Agency continues to improve the country’s roads. Investments such as the multibillion-rand freeway improvement scheme continues to significantly ease congestion on our provincial and national roads.
Everyone benefits when concrete is poured, steel is set and dirt is moved during the modernisation of our roads. Transportation is the lifeblood of everything that happens across our country.
For example, here in the Eastern Cape, the transportation package - R1 750 698 000 allocated into core service delivery areas in five programmes - passed by the legislature allows for continued infrastructure improvements that make possible the very economic development and job growth that ultimately results in the level of education, health, safety and community services we have come to expect and need to continue in this state.
The N2 Wild Coast Highway has been a catalyst for regional and economic development. It is unlocking the tourism and agriculture potential of the entire province. From Mthatha to Ndwalane near Port St Johns, construction is progressing very well and the freeway is supported by upgraded strategic roads, such as the R61 and the Nkantolo Road.
The Eastern Cape continues with efforts to make transport the heartbeat of the economy, and we continue to mobilise public and private sector participation in transport projects aimed at developing the economy. Indeed, a well-developed transport system provides sufficient accessibility to ensure the efficient working of entrepreneurial and industrial society.
Economic heartbeat
The development of transport networks plays a fundamental role in strengthening economic growth, improves productivity and stimulates private investments and technological innovation.
Transport analysts define investment in transport infrastructure as an expansion of capacity or addition to existing networks of roads, railways, canals, tunnels, bridges, airports and ports. Improvements in these stocks of transport capital occur incrementally, over several years.
Our transport geographers and researchers continue to explore the dynamic and changing nature of accessibility and mobility needs for our country, arguing that a more sophisticated, geographically informed approach to transport infrastructure is urgently needed.
During the past years I have experienced the trials, tribulations and challenges of getting around countries that suffer from infrastructural deficiencies, including battling washed-out roads, or getting stranded in remote corners of our country.
Indeed, infrastructural failures can test one’s fortitude and heighten an appreciation for those countries where good transport facilities prevail.
In recent years, I’ve savoured the thrill of using the Gautrain and admired our N2 from Durban to East London. Yet, it can be hard to fathom that hundreds of our people suffer each day from poor or inadequate transportation facilities.
Inadequate transport infrastructure inhibits economic growth, stunts social development and exacerbates tensions over resources and the environment.
With vehicle ownership rates increasing every year, transport planners constantly struggle to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and move commuters to other transport modes like buses, waterways and railroads.
Also worker productivity and societal mobility depends on efficient transport systems. That is why we continue to invest in transport infrastructural systems and better planning.
Although transportation and economic improvements are inextricably intertwined, transport infrastructure alone cannot solve a society’s development problems. Other critical needs include education, economic opportunity, access to resources and a secure, stable political environment.
* Phumulo Masualle is the premier of the Eastern Cape.
* The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Independent Media.
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