South Africa’s transport and
logistics infrastructure were
largely ignored by president
Jacob Zuma in his State of the
Nation address(Sona) to a much
depleted House of Parliament
last week.
“Although the R26bn
investment in road
improvement and maintenance
is welcomed, it is concerning
that transport infrastructure
only received a brief mention
in the Sona,” says Christelle
Grohmann, director: advisory
services, Grant Thornton
Johannesburg.
The Grant Thornton
International Business Report
found that 62% of private
businesses in South Africa were
negatively affected by poor
government service delivery
issues related to road matters
in 2014.
Zuma listed “transport
infrastructure” in the
government’s “nine-point plan
to ignite growth and create
jobs”.
Transport is listed in point
eight, along with “State reform
and boosting the role of
state-owned companies, ICT
infrastructure or broadband
roll out, water, sanitation and
transport infrastructure.”
He went on to say that the
department of transport would
spend about R9 billion on the
Provincial Roads Maintenance
Grant, and R11bn on
upgrading and maintaining
roads which are not tolled over
the next financial year.
There was no other mention
of roads.
Rail did not feature at
all, and ports and harbours
were obliquely mentioned by
Zuma’s emphasis on operation
Phakisa, which focuses on
supporting growth in the
ocean economy.
CAPTION
Rail did not feature at all, and ports and harbours were
obliquely mentioned.
