Transport Minister Blade Nzimande together with his Deputy Sindisiwe Chikunga launched and signed the Green Transport Strategy into law in Pretoria.
Nzimande was accompanied by Chikunga and joined by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) Chair who is also Toyota-SA CEO, Andrew Kirby.
Nzimande says the strategy aimed at promoting an environment friendly transport system and help boost economic growth as well as creates jobs.
The minister used the Red October month which is also the transport month to launch green strategy to fight the ever increasing air pollution.
During the launch, Nzimande urged both the public and private sector including the automobile manufacturers to work together with government in reducing the ever-increasing carbon dioxide emissions.
“Through this strategy, we aim to promote green mobility to ensure that the transport sector supports the achievements of the economic growth targets whilst protecting our environment. As we know, transport is the driver of socio-economic development, but of course, our carbon footprint continues to grow at a highly unacceptable level. This thing of our continent always being behind is something that’s actually is unacceptable.”
NAAMSA Chair Kirby says they support the initiative.
“Minister, you have found in NAAMSA, a winning and acknowledgeable partner in addressing the challenges of the green road transportation and the reducing half of the green gas emissions which contributes to environmental pollution and poor quality air in our country. The need to reduce air pollution and improve urban air quality in South Africa is imperative and we believe that this can be achieved within a relatively short space of time.”
The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) also welcomed government’s green strategy and project.
UNIDO’s Khaled El-Mekwad says, “The UNIDO team implementing the local transport project have injected significant time and effort to support and assist the national stakeholders to complete the green transport strategy in this country. This project forms part of the UNIDO activities to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development known as ISID as well as goal Nine of the SDG’s which addresses industrial innovations and infrastructure.”
Nzimande also used the occasion to urge the taxi operators to form cooperatives and use their bulk buying power to reduce the burden created by the increasing fuel.
The minister says the days of sole proprietorship are gone and will not return and if the taxi operators want to succeed in the competitive modern industry they need to change the way they conduct their businesses.
“My wish is that our minibus taxi industry must graduate. It really must graduate and by the way, one of the things we have said, as government, we want to work with the minibus taxi industry … it’s for you to form cooperatives. Do you ever think how many litters of petrol or diesel you consume per day? What can you do to be able to make that cheaper for you because of your bulk buying?
“It is like our burial societies. I don’t know why our burial societies still go somewhere else to buy coffins because they are multi-million rand industry and that if they pull together smartly they can be able to actually provide the rest of the value chain.”
The minister also called on all role players to educate the public on the importance and availability of electric vehicles and green technology.
