Address At the Franco South African 2010 Soccer World Cup Seminar

Department of Transport

The transport sector is increasingly becoming one of the best engines for economic growth and social development. The rate at which our economy is growing, the increased investment in the economy and the ever-increasing influx of international visitors and the booming industrial development is a visible warning that our transport services and infrastructure should not only look at the hosting of the 2010 Soccer World Cup but the legacy beyond.

As Government we are determined to accelerate economic growth, work opportunities, modernize our public transport services and infrastructure and therefore fight poverty and unemployment. The 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany has come and gone and the focus is inevitably on us as we prepare for a similar event in our country. Reports reflect that the Germany 2006 was a resounding success and that puts us under a tremendous pressure to maintain the standard.

As the South African Government's commitment to the event my Department, our counterparts and stakeholders in provincial and local government will ensure the following:

• Ensure efficient and safe transportation for all visitors
• Sufficient air, road and rail transport operators to accommodate the event, and
• Sufficient transport infrastructure to accommodate projected travel demands
• In terms of the work that was done on 2010-transport plan, we made the following projections:
• No less than 350 000 soccer loving fans will grace our shores each watching a minimum of 4 minutes
• No less than 200 000 visitors will come from the African continent
• Hundreds of thousands will visit public viewing sights of Fan parks
• Busiest days will require transport systems that will need:
• 60 trains
• 600 luxury/semi luxury inter city busses
• 10 000 mini/midi busses, over and above the current capacity
• The car hire fleet and out tour operations will be fully rented out.

The World Cup comes at a time when we are busy with sustainable and ambitious programmes to improve the transport lot in this country. As part of our preparations we developed the Transport Action Plan for 2010, which was approved by Cabinet last year. Our efforts were rewarded by a handsome allocation of R9billion that will be spent in various Host Cities and State Owned Entities for the preparation of the event.

The implementation of the 2010 Transport Action Plan is well on track. While most of the Host Cities were in the last year busy with detailed planning and designing, some have already started implementation of physical projects. These projects are aimed to transport our visitors and all South Africans and therefore will include the following:

• Public transport links and facilities
• Public transport interchange facilities
• ITS infrastructure and systems
• Rail infrastructure and systems upgrade
• Non-Motorised Infrastructure
• Airport - City - Accommodation stadia links
• Stadium precincts upgrade
• Travel Demand Management schemes
• BRT schemes

The next focus will be on the Operational Planning, a process that will need to be finalised by 2008, to allow time for testing and fine-tuning the systems in time for the Confederations Cup in 2009 and then the main event 2010.

As we anticipate an increased influx of the 2010 Soccer World Cup visitors, the Department of Transport is ensuring that the modes of transport that include air, buses, taxis and trains will be fully operational by 2010. It is of critical importance that all participants and visitors to the 2010 Soccer World Cup be accommodated in their movement from hotels to stadiums effectively. Most South Africans are excited about us hosting the World Cup event.

The 2010 FIFA world Cup is a major milestone in our history and marks the beginning of a major revolution in South Africa's transport system as we implement strong infrastructure and transport services. Our 2010 World Cup transport plans represent a concrete foundation for the Transport system beyond 2010.

I must say for the first time in the history of South Africa we will have massive investments across all transport systems - passenger rail, taxis, buses and road networks that will form an efficient, affordable and reliable integrated public transport network.

We have so far witnessed significant progress in integrating Gautrain into the broader public transport network. The Gautrain is to be developed as the main public transport spine, with new commuter rail enhancement and linkages through intermodal facilities and feeder systems. Ladies and gentlemen, my Department is at this stage finalising the development of regional rail and business plans in each metropole where metrorail services operate. We are moving swiftly in maximising existing infrastructure and we have already commenced major investments across all spheres of transport systems.

An increased volume of air passengers is predicted and the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), has already started working on a five year investment programme in all major airports in the country. Acsa's airports infrastructure plans are aimed to handle 31 million passengers in the 12 months to March, up from 28.8 million passengers in the previous year.

Work already underway at OR Tambo International Airport includes additional duty free space and the Pier One development to handle the new Airbus A380 and more passengers through air bridges. We have also moved considerably in complying with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the South African Civil Aviation authority (SACAA) safety standards so that we minimise the risks associated with air traffic accidents.