Hon Chair, hon Minister, members and guests, 20 years into South Africa's democracy, someone still wakes up at 04:00 in the morning to connect on three to four modes of transport to travel from one end of the same city to another. This is an urban setting! Why are so many people still facing transport challenges at a time when so much money has already been spent on transport?
It is encouraging that the former Minister in the Presidency, when handing over the National Development Plan to Parliament, said:
Good quality public transport helps people search for work over a wider area; it helps them get to work faster and more cheaply, but it also assists in permitting people to live fuller lives, with more recreational and family time, and it reduces harmful environmental effects of traffic jams.
This means that delivery of affordable, reliable, safe and predictable transport plays a central role for South Africa to realise all its developmental, social and economic objectives. The NDP, which we as the DA support, goes into commendable detail on how this will be achieved.
South Africa ranks among the best when it comes to its world-class airports, thanks partly to the work done in preparation for the Soccer World Cup in 2010. As a global village player, this is great for business and tourism. It adds to some of the most sophisticated tourist attractions the country is world renowned for. It might even be a great marketing narrative for Brand South Africa to attract foreign investment through tourism.
So, for ordinary South Africans, the delays in improving the transport situation in a systematic, co-ordinated and integrated manner not only affect their lives negatively, but it also stifles their economic and social development, as less money is left in their salaries for other needs due to, among other costs, the ever-increasing transport fares.