Gauteng transport: the road ahead

Almost a year into his tenure as Gauteng MEC for transport, Ismail Vadi indicates that road maintenance is a top priority in this financial year for the department of transport.

“When I came into the office in November last year, there was not a day that went past where the media did not report on potholes. Today, potholes do not feature on the media agenda, but we still need to fix the perception that government is not doing anything to address this issue. On average, we have been fixing 40 000 potholes per month all over Gauteng. But repairing potholes still remains a reactive measure,” says Vadi.

He feels that the department has started moving into a more pro-active phase of road rehabilitation. Since potholes point to the degrading of infrastructure, in this financial year R1.5-billion is being dedicated to road maintenance and additional construction work. “Sadly, this is not enough. We have a budget this year of R6.2-billion and R1.5-billion is not a large percentage, especially when you consider that Gauteng has 5 600km of tarred roads, of which 30% are in poor condition,” he adds.

Get the quality right
Vadi feels that the department has to look after what it has. The figures seem to speak for themselves. In terms of infrastructure, the road value in Gauteng is estimated at R50-billion. Additionally, the department has been building internal capacity over the past decade to look after the infrastructure. However, the road quality has been downgraded. Vadi says, “A lot of our maintenance work has been outsourced to small-scale private contractors in terms of broad-based black economic empowerment. However, we have not been getting value for money due to poor workmanship. It is therefore important to empower our contractors and give them some degree of certainty in terms of their contracts — but they need to be accountable for the quality of the work they provide.” He says that the department has become a lot tougher with its contractors, but that only time will tell if this new way of working with them is showing evidence of success, especially with the rainy season approaching.

Public transport
One of the challenges is the growing demand for a massive improvement in the public transport system. “Research of the ANC has shown that 28% of people in Gauteng list public transport as their main concern. And for the first time, the cost of public transport has become one of the top three items of concern for Gautengers,” he says. With hardly a day going by that newspapers do not report on poor service, a bus strike, late train arrivals and the high number of accidents, Vadi has a point. “Transport has become a service delivery issue like education and health. It affects millions of people in the province. We are ultimately a service delivery department and have to meet expectations and the growing demands for a high quality public transport system.”

But what is the department doing to address these concerns?
It has an ailing Metrorail system which is 50 years old, with outdated rolling stock and an ancient signalling system by modern standards. Upgrading and overhauling the Metrorail system is crucial in the public transport debate. “While the Passenger Rail Agency of South African (Prasa) has privatised Gauteng, we know it will be acquiring 300 new coaches over the next three years. It has also handed out a contract to overhaul the signalling system from copper to fibre optic. All of these changes will happen in the next three to five years.” He also points out that there will be a massive station upgrading programme across the province which will result in better lighting, sanitation, crowd control management and the look-and-feel of stations. To this end, Prasa has already allocated R28-billion to upgrade Metrorail in Gauteng.

Rolling on the Gautrain
One cannot talk about public transport without touching on the subject of the Gautrain. The government started working on the project 10 years ago and Vadi believes that despite some of the construction and cable theft problems, the project has been very successful. “Since it started operations, the airport line has moved 3.3-million passengers. This has been beyond our expectations, with the line showing tremendous growth and being very viable financially. The second line opened recently and despite not having the link to Park Station operational yet, it is already moving approximately 28 000 passengers per day,” he says. No mean feat that the expectation for the line is to move 100 000 passengers per day or one million every 10 days. Vadi is confident that once the link between Park Station and Rosebank is operational by the end of this year, the Gautrain will be close to meeting passenger targets.

But where to from here for the Gautrain?
“We are currently reviewing many proposals for the next phases of the Gautrain. These include potentially upgrading the existing lines with new stations and potentially a direct line between Pretoria and OR Tambo International Airport. There is also nothing stopping us from entertaining the ideas of expanding the Gautrain with new lines altogether – such as a potential underground link between Park Station and Naledi in Soweto,” says Vadi. Vadi does not rule out extending the Gautrain either northwards from Pretoria or even westwards as well. The department is busy conducting feasibility studies but he points out that there are definitely merits in extending the Gautrain. “South Africa is only one of six countries in the world where a high-speed rail network between cities exists. The long-term value and benefits will be there for all the people of the province.”

Back to the future
Ultimately, the vision of the Gautrain is to develop a globally competitive city region. Some analysts believe that city region is between Pretoria and Johannesburg because of the concentration of economic activity in that area. Others believe the city region is actually the entire province. But as one moves away from the centre, there are low levels of economic activity. “If you have a 50-year vision, it is only logical that the economic activity will expand. The rate of development in transport is simply staggering. Just think how transport in South Africa has changed in the past 25 years. Now think ahead 30 years and you have to visualise the direction and the pattern of economic development,” he says.

Vadi ‘s vision: 2055 and beyond

It is this part of his job that really excites Vadi.
“My job is to lay out road and transport infrastructure in anticipation of the realisation of this vision. Cities develop along the transportation routes that serve them. We have to visualise what is going to happen and how transport would stimulate economic development. We therefore need to be pro-active and forward-thinking in our vision.”

Rural development
But the city region could possibly extend beyond Gauteng to include areas such as Rustenburg, Bela Bela, Limpopo, Ermelo, Sasolburg and beyond. After all, who knows what the linkages between these towns might be in 50 years’ time? “We are still trying to theorise this more carefully. The premier will likely launch a Gauteng 2055 Vision document outlying the thinking behind future development. The vision document would provide us with a clearer outlook on what kind of province do we want to become in 45 years’ time,” he says. With 80% of the people in Gauteng living in the Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, and Johannesburg metropoles, the more immediate focus will be on rolling out bus transport to these cities. Vadi echoes that the bus system needs to be integrated into the rail transport system. He feels that the bus rapid transport (BRT) system has had a successful uptake in linking townships to towns. “Tshwane will be looking at having its inner-city route up and running by December next year, with BRT routes planned from Mamelodi and Soshanguve to the city by 2014. Ekurhuleni poses more of a challenge with nine disjointed towns (each with their own townships) needing to be linked.”

Linking the edges
With the distances between these towns varying from 50km to 80km, Ekurhuleni does pose an interesting challenge. Vadi feels that one cannot roll out a public transport network in such urban sprawl but needs to have high levels of compaction to get the towns closer together. He says that there will be five phases to the BRT system in Ekurhuleni. Phase one will commence next year by linking the major townships in the areas to their key towns. “If you have a BRT within these three metros, the Gautrain and taxis will be used as a feeder system. That establishes the footprint in terms of credible and affordable public transport,” he says. But the character of future cities will have an impact on the kind of transportation which will be developed. He uses the Vaal waterways as an example of an aqua city. “Is it that inconceivable that 30 years from now you can take a ferry from Vereeniging to Sasolburg using the Vaal? What kind of infrastructure is needed in this instance? Certainly for Ekurhuleni, we have looked at positioning as an aeropolis. Government has taken a clear view that these airport cities need to be developed. But with heavily congested road networks, an upgrading of existing infrastructure is necessary.”

Leave your cars behind
The future, Vadi believes, lies in non-motorised forms of transport. Cars are too expensive, they contribute to pollution and, with fuel becoming more expensive, South Africa could face an energy crisis in the future. The department feels that the workaround for this is to start using bicycles more. In fact, it is planning to pilot the introduction of bicycles in the province next year. Hopefully, Vadi says, the private sector will get more involved in this. “When you go to cities such as London, Oslo and Hamburg, it is not strange to see a professional going to work on a bicycle or catching the bus to an appointment. We need to see a culture change in South Africa with people needing to shift their mindset into utilising public transport. Look at the University of Johannesburg. It has two campuses, but students should have no need to drive between the two. They should get on their bicycles and cycle. Cycling is healthy and the South African climate is conducive to it. We have to integrate cycling into our way of life,” says Vadi. He admits that the infrastructure needs to be redesigned with dedicated bicycle lanes. Once the infrastructure caters for this, he says that people will be more willing to comply with the new way of thinking.

Make biking your business
Anybody driving at 5pm during weekdays knows that Johannesburg is becoming increasingly congested. The numbers make for grim reading. “Currently, there are approximately 11-million people living in Gauteng. In 15 years’ time, the population of Gauteng is expected to double. Of the nine million cars in South Africa, four million are in Gauteng. Just think for yourself what the situation will be like in 15 years’ time. We have to plan for this, but at the same time we cannot build our way out of congestion,” says Vadi. He points out that the working class will continue to rely on public transport. However, he says that the middle class in South Africa has become spoiled. People always cite safety, sanitation and transport being late but once a credible public transport system is in place, there will be no reason not to use it as a professional. “Certainly in Sandton and Rosebank, the potential for non-motorised transport is greater. But we need to start seeing influential people using non-motorised transport to really shape the way public transport is positioned. Cycling is perhaps a bit more inconvenient, but it makes people physically fit and living a healthier lifestyle.”

e-tolling makes cents
The elephant in the room when it comes to transport in Gauteng is the toll system. “Traditionally, the tolling system has been inter-provincial. The distinctive feature of Gauteng is that it is at the heart of an urban complex with people using its roads to commute on a daily basis. But what are the cost implications of doing this with the new toll system? There will definitely be a significant impact on people’s pockets when they use the Gauteng roadways when e-tolling comes into effect. What is really impacting us is that we do not know what the rate of increase will be (on people’s pockets) and that is not ideal from a planning perspective,” says Vadi. Vadi counters critics of e-tolling with the high cost of upgrading the transport infrastructure. “The fiscus simply cannot afford upgrading transport in the province. So what option is open to government? One needs to have a look at a strategic partnership to do the infrastructure development work. It is a case of paying upfront and getting the money back over time. Either we do without the transport upgrades or we embrace it and help with development to make our country globally competitive.” And as increasing taxes does not seem like a likely option, the only other solution is partnering with the private sector. Vadi feels tolling remains an important strategy to fund the road infrastructure development. While it is not the answer to everything, it remains a valid strategic and tactical choice. “The past five years and next five years will see us spending in excess of R80-billion on public infrastructure. Commuters will start seeing the benefits of this investment down the line.”

Staying safe
Another challenge is the integration between the different modes of transport. Government is targeting an integrated ticketing system between its range of services (Metrorail, Gautrain, BRT and the taxi system). “Taxi systems over the province move 60% of people in Gauteng. They are the strategic partner to transport in the province. We need to look at the development of this industry and the professionalisation of services. People need to view it as a business enterprise as this will be an essential component of public transport in Gauteng,” he says. Road safety is perhaps one of the most pressing challenges facing the department and government. Vadi feels that there are simply too many accidents on the road due to reckless driving, impatience and intolerance. “We have to change this. The departments of transport and community safety have begun the roll-out of an aggressive programme of road safety. We are aiming to stop 250 000 vehicles in Gauteng as part of the more visible policing taking place.” Vadi says government will be targeting public transport operators such as taxis and people driving with learner’s licences. While law enforcement will be intensified, that is only one part of the challenge — people need to change their attitudes towards road safety. “People need to take more responsibility for their actions and be more aware of road safety issues. Gauteng is currently getting 3 000 deaths on the road per year. This is unacceptable. Not only is the impact on human life great, but the cost implications are too high as well. People need to start driving safer and change their mentality on the road,” he concludes.

Call to action —
Being in the hotseat as Transport MEC for Gauteng has been a calling for Ismail Vadi. He cut short a trip to Canada late last year to answer it. “I received a call from the provincial secretary of the ANC to come back immediately to South Africa to become the MEC for transport. While it has been a very challenging task, it has been interesting and exciting. I do believe I have a firm grip on transport issues. Yet I concede there are new learnings for me and my team every day.” On his arrival in parliament in 1994, Vadi, had focused on education. Three years ago he was appointed chairman of the Communications Committee. “To say that I experienced a steep learning curve would be putting it mildly. Communications has its own codes, challenges and opportunities,” says Vadi. His biggest challenge though was yet to come: MEC for transport. “Since taking over the position in November, I have a better sense of transport issues but every day there is still something new to learn,” Vadi re-iterates. He is certainly relishing the challenge and enjoying the new portfolio. By his own admission, he has a massive challenge ahead of him. “I found that the department (of transport) did not enjoy a positive public image. There have been all sorts of allegations in terms of financial mismanagement, poor corporate governance, concerns about corruption in tenders. And not to even mention the issues of potholes, the roads being in disrepair, a sense that road infrastructure is falling apart and the (problem of the) big financial debt of the department,” he says. Vadi believes that despite the negativity and media speculations, significant strides have been made to confront, head-on, some of the challenges in his department. “We have made massive inroads in reducing the debt of the department from R600 million to R200 million and have started taking decisive steps to fix finances. Early in my term, I was concerned about the allegations about the non-transparent management of the supply chain procedures. Following an investigation, we found serious systemic weaknesses, with disciplinary actions taken against a number of officials,” Vadi continues. Supply chain management system and transparency improvements have been noted. Department staff is also receiving better training and the department as a whole is emphasising compliance. We have also implemented the ongoing monitoring of the supply chain management process.

Putting the focus on road safety
Last month, minister of transport Sibusiso Ndebele launched the 2011 Transport Month programme in Richards Bay. “Transport is a means to move goods and people from point A to point B in a safe, efficient, affordable and sustainable manner. Transport Month this year focuses on job creation and service delivery,” he said. He continued by stating that 2011 to 2020 will be the decade of action for road safety. “Transport Month will highlight road safety in South Africa, seeking to find common solutions to the harrowing deaths that occur ever so frequently on our roads. Approximately 14 000 people are killed on our roads every year, 1 000 every month, 250 per week and 40 every day, costing at least R60-billion per annum,” he said. As evidence of its focus on improving road safety, the minister highlighted the national rolling enforcement plan (NREP) which was launched in October last year. This has seen the department committing to stopping and checking one million vehicles and drivers every month.

Celebrating Transport Month
This year’s Transport Month is focused on job creation and service delivery. To this end, the national department of transport aims to create in excess of 68 000 jobs in the current financial year. This forms part of the department’s S’hamba Sonke drive, which focuses on the maintenance and construction of secondary road infrastructure using labour-intensive methods. The nationwide campaign sees the department partnering with provinces and municipalities to improve access to schools, clinics and other social and economic opportunities by upgrading the secondary road network and fixing and repairing potholes throughout the country. The programme is expected to create opportunities for emerging contractors and jobs across the country. The department has a budget of R22.3-billion set aside for the medium-term. The budget breakdown per year is as follows:

• R6.4-billion for 2011/12
• R7.5-billion in 2012/13
• R8.2-billion for 2013/14

The expenditure will go towards:

• Fixing potholes
• Creating access to schools, clinics and other public facilities
• Rehabilitating key arterial routes that support the rural economy
• Prioritising the use of labour absorptive systems, including a “know your network programme”
• Public transport

During Transport Month, the department is putting the spotlight on the use of public transport in the country. Some examples of how it is investing in upgrading public transport include the Gautrain and the bus rapid transport (BRT) system that is currently being rolled out in various cities. Through the Passenger Rail Agency of South African (Prasa), the department is also heavily investing to overhaul the passenger rail industry. This will be done by investing in infrastructure based on the rail plan priorities and the priority rail corridor strategy as approved by Cabinet in 2006. A significant proportion of the existing rolling stock is due for de-commissioning between 2013 and 2015. Prasa will spend R97-billion over 18 years on buying new rolling stock. This programme will create an estimated 100 000 jobs and develop skilled and semi-skilled personnel in various segments.

Key transport achievements in Gauteng

• The FIFA 2010 World Cup: Working closely with municipalities across the province, the department was able to provide an integrated and coordinated public transport service to the satisfaction of both domestic and international public transport users
• Bus subsidies: The department is focused on providing subsidised bus public transport services with the objective of making public transport more affordable to the people of Gauteng. The current bus subsidised services are operating in the cities of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni and in Sedibeng District Municipality.
• Taxi recapitalisation project: This seeks to contribute to the development of a modern and integrated transport system that provides accessible, safe, affordable and environmentally sound transport services. The project also contributes to the promotion of economic empowerment of the taxi industry by means of a once-off scrapping incentive.

Pothole partners — lead SA
The department has embarked on a partnership to reduce the number of potholes on the paved road network. This has led to work between Dial Direct, Johannesburg Road Agency, and the department. The pilot phase (between August and October last year) resulted in 2 737 potholes repaired on roads in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg in particular and Pretoria. The second phase of the project is currently underway, with Lead SA making the public aware of the programme. The programme works with an SMS system to collect daily data on the location of potholes on the roads. Once an SMS is received, the pothole brigade goes into action to immediately repair it.