Wild claims or realistic promises?

In one of her first official appearances since being appointed, our new Minister of Transport has promised to achieve much. Are these wild claims, or are her promises realistic – and achievable?

Our new Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, has been handed a bit of a hospital pass. She has a lot to do. South Africa’s transport infrastructure – vital for economic growth and social development – requires significant upgrades and better maintenance. The issues range from deteriorating road conditions and inefficient public transport systems to safety concerns and the need for greener, more sustainable transport options.

Creecy doesn’t appear to be under any illusions, though. Delivering the opening address at the recent Southern African Transport Conference (SATC), she was quite candid. “An efficient and functioning transport sector is the key to a successful economy. Our roads and rail network are the arteries of our nation. (They) should move people and goods safely, speedily, and affordably across the length and breadth of South Africa, and facilitate our connectivity with the African continent and the wider world,” she emphasised.

“We all know today that our sector is not operating as either an effective economic facilitator or social service. The condition of our roads, logistical and capacity issues affecting our freight network, and road safety are just a few of the problems that have plagued this sector in recent times,” she continued. 

Creecy, who is the 11^th Minister of Transport since 1994, stressed the sector’s importance to society. “When our transport systems suffer, our economy faces depressed economic growth (and) declining investment, working people cannot get to their jobs affordably or on time, and we see a rise in unemployment in a country that desperately needs more jobs. We are aware of these challenges and aim to address them comprehensively throughout the next five-year term,” she said. 

A spokesperson for the Automobile Association (AA) has agreed with Creecy’s sentiments, stating: “The Association notes that transport intersects all other departments and, as such, is crucial to the economic development of the country. Its success must, therefore, be prioritised by the new minister and the entire cabinet. The need for an improved transport model in South Africa must be high on the agenda, as should efforts to improve road safety.”

Speaking at the SATC, Creecy said there had already been progress towards addressing national transport challenges, noting that major developments have included last year’s establishment of the National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC), chaired by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, and the adoption by cabinet of the Freight Logistics Roadmap.

“Together with Minister Maropene Ramokgopa (Minister of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation), we will ensure important reforms at Transnet continue so that the entity reaches pre-pandemic performance levels,” she told attendees. 

“Anchoring times for ships waiting to berth at the port of Durban have been reduced, and a terminal operator has been appointed to enter into a joint partnership with Transnet to develop and upgrade the port,” she continued. 

“PRASA is continuing to reopen passenger rail lines severely affected by infrastructure damage and cable theft, with 28 of 40 priority lines being fully operational. As of March this year, 256 stations are fully functional in cities across the country,” Creecy revealed. 

“I can report today that continuous work is being done to rehabilitate and open up more strategic commuter corridors. This will ensure that the public can rely on safe, secure, punctual, and affordable public rail services that will not hinder their participation in the economy.”

During her speech, she heeded the AA’s request to improve road safety. “We cannot normalise a situation in which more than 12,000 people are killed on our roads every year. Nor can our country continue to sustain the cost of more than 10,000 fatal crashes, which the Road Traffic Management Corporation estimates cost R186 billion – or 3% of the South African GDP – every year. We must ensure the country’s roads are safer for those who use them,” she reiterated.

Public transport is, of course, a massive concern to all South Africans – including the powers that be at the AA. “Public transport in South Africa remains fractured and largely inadequate and the need to create safe, reliable, affordable, and sustainable public transport should be a major focus for the new minister,” says a spokesperson from the association. “Addressing the country’s rail crisis must also feature strongly moving forward, as this creates downstream issues on the country’s road network. Introducing measures to improve traffic law enforcement and dealing effectively with the problems at Driving Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs) – including those associated with the provision of driving licence cards – should, similarly, enjoy serious attention by the new minister.”

Creecy didn’t allude to problems at the DLTCs in her speech, but she did undertake to work with the taxi sector, which carries an estimated 80% of all South Africans using public transport. “I pledge to ensure (the taxi sector) takes its place in a safer, greener transport ecosystem,” she said. “We must work together to decrease levels of conflict and violence, which pose a significant risk to the sector and to commuters.”

Acknowledging the skills development theme of the conference, Creecy noted that transport was in the midst of one of the greatest changes since the introduction of the automobile – thanks to evolutions in digital technology and renewable energy. “The Department of Transport Green Transport Strategy can ensure that our development objectives are not at odds with our climate change mitigation laws,” she said. “Implementation of this strategy will be a priority for this next term of government in an era of hyper globalisation.” Another priority is the finalisation of the long outstanding strategy on the devolution of urban commuter rail services.

So, amongst many other things, Creecy has promised that South Africans will be treated to “safe, secure, punctual, and affordable public rail services”. She has promised to deliver “a safer, greener transport ecosystem”. Furthermore, she’s assured us that Transnet will be operating at “pre-pandemic performance levels”, and that “the Ministry will prioritise road safety during this term of office so that our roads are safe for those who use them”.

Those are quite some promises. Will they materialise into reality? I really do hope I’m wrong, but I fear our new Minister of Transport may have just bitten off more than she can chew… 

Who is Barbara Creecy?

Barbara Creecy has a rich history in South African politics. Before her appointment as Minister of Transport, she served as the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries from 2019 to 2024. During her tenure, she was instrumental in driving policies to combat climate change and promote sustainable development. Creecy’s efforts in environmental conservation earned her recognition both domestically and internationally, and in November 2019 she was elected as the President of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment.

Her political journey began in the anti-apartheid movement, where she was actively involved in student politics. She later became a member of the African National Congress (ANC), contributing significantly to the party’s policies and strategies.

Creecy was one of the longest-serving members of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. She joined the legislature in 1994 and, until 2004, served in different portfolios including Deputy Chief Whip, as well as Chairperson of the Social Development and Education Committees. She holds an Honours Degree in Political Science from the University of the Witwatersrand and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Management from the University of London.

Given her background in environmental affairs, Creecy is expected to integrate sustainability into her transport policies. She has already expressed her commitment to promoting electric vehicles (EVs) and developing the necessary infrastructure, such as charging stations, to support their widespread use. This aligns with global trends towards reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Creecy’s experience in environmental management will most likely influence her approach to transport policy, ensuring that future developments are not only efficient, but also environmentally friendly – which can only be good news for our country and our planet alike.