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ROADS CHALLENGE

20100305AMU/NEWS. MEC for transport in Gauteng Bheki Nkosi during the stakeholder engagement breakfast meeting in Johannesburg. Pic: ANTONIO MUCHAVE. 05/03/2010. © SOWETAN
20100305AMU/NEWS. MEC for transport in Gauteng Bheki Nkosi during the stakeholder engagement breakfast meeting in Johannesburg. Pic: ANTONIO MUCHAVE. 05/03/2010. © SOWETAN

About R900million a year is needed to maintain Gauteng's road infrastructure, MEC Bheki Nkosi has said.

Nkosi, responsible for roads and transport in the province, said he was developing partnerships with the private sector to enable the department to fix the road infrastructure.

He was addressing a breakfast stakeholder meeting in which he outlined his vision for the next five years and beyond.

Among those present were representatives from the Gautrain Management Agency, City of Johannesburg, and Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.

Nkosi outlined key areas on which his department would focus:

l The identification of 20 townships for road infrastructure development;

l Improvement of the programme to transport 70000 pupils to school in the province;

l transforming the taxi industry.

l having a blueprint plan in six months that will outline the integration of all modes of transport, and

"We have acquired R5,5billion from the private sector to help us improve road infrastructure in the next five years," Nkosi said.

He also said more than 56percent of roads were way over their design life.

"We need at least R900million a year to maintain our road infrastructure and to eliminate potholes," Nkosi said.

Transport readiness for the World Cup would also take centre stage.

"We will create transport hubs and park and ride facilities, but these will not be free," he said.

Jack van der Merwe of the Gautrain Management Agency said some routes of the train would be ready for the World Cup in June.

"We are running test drives for the train to be ready between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton," he said.

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