President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the inaugural National Transport Conference at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on Monday.
The conference, held under the theme: “Transport: The Driver for Growth, Job Creation, Inclusivity and Sustainability” will bring together decision-makers, investors and innovators to deliberate on building a sustainable transport system that supports economic growth and job creation.
The Presidency said the gathering will provide a platform for stakeholders across government, business and civil society to engage on the future of the transport sector and its role in driving development.
“Given the role of transport as a facilitator of economic growth and an enabler of social development, the conference will tackle the sector’s most pressing issues. These include modernising failing passenger rail systems and resolving port and freight bottlenecks,” The Presidency said.
Other key issues on the agenda include improving road safety, addressing infrastructure backlogs and meeting climate and sustainability targets.
The conference also aims to set a shared vision for the future of transport in South Africa and mobilise collaboration across different sectors and spheres of government.
It will further contribute to the implementation of the priorities of the Department of Transport while enabling knowledge sharing between government, the private sector, the transport industry and academia.
Expected outcomes include strengthened partnerships across the transport sector, commitments to advance key transport priorities and the adoption of evidence-based solutions to improve transport systems.
Participants will include officials from national, provincial and local government, state-owned companies, transport operators and industry bodies, as well as financial institutions, academics, commuter organisations and civil society groups.
Representatives from Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries and international transport stakeholders are also expected to attend.
The address is scheduled to take place at 09:00 on Monday. – SAnews.gov.za
