SPEECH BY KWAZULU-NATAL MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, MR S'BU NDEBELE DURING
THE HANDOVER OF THE FIRST TEN HORSES TO SENTINEL LOGISTICS,
23 JUNE 2000
Master of Ceremonies
The Managing Director of Sentinel Logistics, Mr Ramnarain
Mr Adolf Moosbauer of MAN TRUCK & BUS
Officials of The Department of Transport
Members of The Media
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It gives me pleasure to be invited here today at the handing over of the
first ten horses to Sentinel Logistics. I first want to congratulate
Sentinel Logistics for being one of the finest transport service providers
in the country. According to our records Sentinel vehicles have never
appeared in the register of overloaded vehicles. Secondly, it is worth
mentioning that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport has had a good
working relationship with Sentinel Logistics who have always sought our
advice, especially during Sentinel's formative stages. Today, the company
operates an immaculate fleet of over 200 vehicles and the KwaZulu-Natal
Department of Transport is proud to have such a globally competitive company
operating within its area of jurisdiction.
It is worth mentioning that Sentinel Logistics operates at a time when
transport as an important factor in our economy is facing manifold
challenges. Your responses to these challenges will have a direct impact on
our economy, the country and the continent. On the one hand one may cite the
significance of modifying trucks to suit South African conditions. One the
other hand electronic business has come with new challenges at the time when
local trucking companies are still grappling with the grim realities of
globalisation and international competition. The shortage of good drivers,
labour demand, fuel prices, the state of roads as well as the impact of
HIV/AIDS all converge to pose serious challenges to the trucking industry.
Whether we realise it or not transport has become a pillar of our economy.
In spite of Afro-pessimism and what is said about our country in terms of
competitiveness ratings, south Africa is recognized world-wide as an
emerging market. The Economist Magazine, a catechism of investors,
classifies South Africa as an emerging market alongside China, Brazil and
Portugal. Our transport infrastructure has a very significant role in this
regard. More than 80% of goods and people within KwaZulu-Natal are
transported by road. More than 75% of goods get transported between Durban
and Richards Bay, yet it is only the White owned companies that receive the
biggest slice. This is totally unacceptable in a country that is still
licking its wounds sustained during Apartheid.
On August we intend holding a meeting with all stakeholders in the freight
industry and big business to address this issue of empowerment and
transformation. This is in line with the Departments Moving South Africa
Campaign. We want to see more black owned businesses moving with the rest of
other successful businesses.
While overloading poses a serious problem on our roads, I am very happy to
note that Sentinel Logistics appears nowhere in our register of overloaded
vehicles. This projects a very good image for a company operating within our
Province. KwaZulu-Natal has developed an international reputation for its
home-grown overloading competency. As such the Department of Transport is
acknowledged as leaders in South Africa and Southern Africa, and is
considered to be even more advanced than Victoria in Australia , Sweden ,
England , Holland and several states in America. In spite of recent reports
about overloaded trucks avoiding N2 and N3, it has emerged that KwaZulu-Natal
has the lowest overloading control and heavy motor vehicle safety. We have
finalised a co-operative agreement with the South African National roads
Agency known as the N3 Overloading Corridor Project. This is a first in
South Africa and appears likely to be a first internationally.
The SANRA Agreement means that national Government pays an annual amount to
the KZN Department of Transport for three years to staff stations on N3 and
N11 with an additional shift of patrol officers. This provides 24 hour cover
with an emphasis on overloading control and heavy motor vehicle safety. The
aim is to save lives as well as to protect the country's investment in road
infrastructure. As a result of this agreement 47 new RTI officers were
appointed on January 4, 2000. Seven extra promotional posts have also been
funded in terms of this agreement. In this way the Department of Transport
will reduce the highway hijackings and the robbery of heavy vehicles. This
will in turn benefit companies like Sentinel Logistics who are the role
players within the trucking industry.
In the final analysis, I would like to congratulate Sentinel Logistics for
the good example they have set to other emerging trucking companies through
their high regard of safety standards. It is my fervent hope that the
empowerment programmes that you have put in place will contribute to the
SMME Development in our Province.
I THANK YOU
back
|