KZN call to halt road upgrade projects slammed

The South African Road
Federation (SARF) has
condemned a statement by
the KwaZulu-Natal Transport
Department on February
3 in which it called for an
immediate halt to major road
infrastructure projects in the
province due to a perceived
cash-flow crisis.
Professional adviser
and SARF spokesperson,
Malcolm Mitchell, says the
announcement brings to the
fore the whole issue of road
financing in South Africa.
“Despite the recent
increased funds allocated
by the Treasury to road
authorities, it appears from
the KZN statement and
other sources that road
authorities are not able or
willing to meet their roadinfrastructure
obligations to
the public.
“As a country we neglect
our road network at our peril.
“It should be stressed
that it is not the function of
road authorities to source
the necessary funds for road
building and maintenance,
but that of the Treasury and
politicians. However, road
authorities need to justify the
funds they require and, more
importantly, ensure their
effective and efficient use.
Recent research has revealed
only Sanral and some
metropolitan road authorities
displayed sound financial
management of their road
funds.”
SARF believes that a
comprehensive road-needsstudy
should be carried out
for the South African intercity
road network. The last
such study was conducted
in 1983.
“Now is the time to
examine the whole rationale
for road funding in South
Africa. With the rapid
development of technology
to reduce fuel usage in
motor vehicles combined
with diminishing crude oil
supplies, it seems likely
that the funds raised via the
fuel tax, which up till now
has been the prime source
of road funding, will be
severely eroded.
“Moreover, international
research on transport
financing shows the fuel-tax
approach only satisfies the
feasibility aspect and falls
short on efficiency, equity,
environmental sustainability,
revenue adequacy and
sustainability. Because of
this, international research
is focusing on a mileagebased-
user-funding approach
and many techniques have
already been identified,” said
Mitchell.