The South African government is set to increase funding for major road infrastructure projects including the revamping and maintenance of national roads.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula made the announcement in Parliament during his budget vote speech for the current financial year.
Mbalula says the bulk of the money over the next three financial years will be directed towards the South African National Roads Agency.
“From R57.3 billion in 2021 to R72.5 billion in 2023 and 2024. Although the substantial share of the department’s expenditure is directed towards rail infrastructure and maintenance operations and inventories, the balance of the budget is reserved for the South African National Roads Agency for upgrading and maintenance of the national road network as well as provinces and municipalities,” says Mbalula.
Addressing major challenges brought by the poor state of the country’s roads:
Mbalula says plans to formalise the taxi industry are taking place in terms of resolutions taken last year with the relevant stakeholders.
In 2020, Mbalula held various meetings with the leadership of the taxi industry aimed at formalising, regulating and professionalising the industry.
“We’re ensuring that we professionalise and at the same time we arrive at the decision to subsidise the taxi industry. We are on track with regard to that working with everybody on board,” says Mbalula.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT BUDGET VOTE 2021
We are therefore committed that the economic recovery and expansion potential of investing in the transport sector has to be harnessed in a targeted and highly catalytic ways. pic.twitter.com/KXE2PQWcao
— |Mr Fix (@MbalulaFikile) May 21, 2021
Transport Department on a drive to reshape SA’s taxi industry:
