South Africa’s transport services are ”sure to improve dramatically” in time for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said on Wednesday.
”It will be a defining moment for our transport system,” he told reporters in Pretoria at a briefing on the transport plan for the Cup.
The tournament will not be a world-class event if the majority of journeys by visitors are not completed efficiently, safely and on time, Radebe said.
”We are here today to tell you that our transport plans will present an enjoyable experience for the soccer family worldwide,” Radebe said.
In the next two months he will be taking international and local media on a roadshow to see all transport projects under way.
With 792 days to go until kick-off, the government’s plan to beef up public transport at a cost of R13,6-billion has shifted up a gear.
A total of 700 000 international visitors are expected to attend the World Cup and make use of public transport, in addition to the millions of South African soccer lovers.
Plans are already in place to provide bus, passenger-rail, taxi, road and air transport for the host cities for the duration of the month-long tournament. These include details of how many people are expected to use what mode of transport.
A computer programme modelling traveller demand has been developed, indicating exactly how many vehicles will be needed in each of the host cities on a daily and hourly basis.
The government has allocated more than R13-billion to beef up public transport infrastructure for 2010. This is on top of the billions already being spent on improving airports and air-traffic navigation; the taxi-recapitalisation programme; upgrading roads; the Gauteng highway scheme; and the Gautrain.
In addition to regular meetings of the transport sector coordinating forum, a monitoring committee has been appointed to make sure all transport plans are being implemented.
Said coordinator for 2010 in the Transport Department, Mathabatha Monkonyama: ”They [the committee] report on progress on projects in all the host cities. On top of that they also flash a red light in cases where a particular project might not be completed in time. We then invoke intervention measures.
”We have already agreed with a couple of cities to go and assist them to accelerate implementation so that we are on time.”
In June South Africa will have to submit the entire 2010 transport plan for final approval to soccer’s world governing body, Fifa. — Sapa