The Gautrain Rapid Rail link will be ready for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe said on Friday.
Notwithstanding utterances from some involved that it will not be ready and delays on the project, Radebe said he believed Gautrain will be moving come the Soccer World Cup.
”We are doing everything in our power as government to ensure that the construction of the Gautrain is going ahead,” Radebe said.
He was speaking at a press conference held on the last day of a transport meeting held outside Pretoria where transport infrastructure for the 2010 Soccer World Cup was one of the main points on the agenda.
He said the meeting approved the 2010 action agenda for public transport infrastructure development.
”[An amount] of R3,8-billion has been set aside for this purpose and is meant to leverage other funds available to develop public-transport infrastructure,” he said.
Some of the funds will be going to projects approved by the meeting, including R700-million for improved bus and taxi infrastructure and R1,6-billion for capital-expenditure projects.
The department has already established a World Cup office structure to oversee the implementation of the action agenda. — Sapa