08 June 2007
As the Transport Family we continue to uphold “Transport as the Heartbeat of our
Economic Development and Social Investment.” Our road and rail networks continue
to be the backbone of our economy. It is therefore logical that our duty should
be to ensure that we preserve and protect these networks to propel our economy
to greater heights.
Our capital expenditure on road networks has increased over the years. In the
current MTEF period we are investing R5.5 billion for the development and
preservation of our National Road infrastructure. It is also our responsibility
to ensure that our road network is not forced to ‘carry more than it can’ – as
it has always been the case in the past years. According to the CSIR, the road
damage caused by heavy vehicle overloading has been estimated to cost the
economy more than R600-R800 million per annum.
This results to increased hazards on our roads and huge implications in terms of
turnaround time and cargo throughput thereby increasing the cost of doing
business in our country.
Current Reality
Our current reality as government is that we are confronted with various forms
of overloading such as repeat overloading by the same operators and severe
overloading up to and beyond 100%. So far we have 104 weighbridges throughout
the country and heavy vehicle operators have also become experts in the practice
over time. Some are budgeting for admission of guilt fines in the event of being
caught. And they are also studying escape routes to inform the selection of
routes for cargo transport and in some instances they use backup vehicles to
offload when caught and reload upon release.
National Overload Control Strategy
This situation cannot continue unpunished and it has to stop. The question is,
how? My Department, in close co-operation with the provincial road traffic
authorities has developed and is currently implementing the National Overload
Control Strategy (NOCS) to protect our road infrastructure, to improve road
safety and to ensure seamless movement of cargo. We have set aside more than R
20 million to implement this strategy which is also in line with our Road Safety
Strategy, the Infrastructure Strategic Framework for Roads and the Freight
Logistics Strategy.
Our main focus is to improve weighbridge infrastructure – which involves the
development and upgrading of overload control infrastructure in strategic
locations across our road network.
Through the National Road Traffic Act, we are investigating ways of extending
the liability for overloading beyond operators and ensure that cargo Consignors
and Consignees take ownership and face the full might of the law.
We have also reviewed the 5% tolerance to 2% of the Gross Vehicle Mass in line
with the recommendations of a weighbridge survey that was conducted during the
development of the National Overload Control Strategy.
Inroads are being made within the insurance industry to brand over-loaders as
high risk and for them to carry steep insurance premiums in an effort to
discourage overloading.
Both the Departments of Transport and Justice are also upgrading the guidelines
for public prosecution in order to elevate the profile of overloading offences
and to ensure stiff penalties for offenders.
We have also developed guidelines in co-operation with the SABS as part of the
promotion of self-regulation in the heavy vehicle industry-which is intended to
foster a partnership to ensure proper load management, vehicle roadworthiness
and driver fitness.
Guidelines are already in place for the training of law enforcement officers to
ensure that they are adequately qualified and trained to execute overload
control effectively. This includes the improvement of training material at
traffic colleges as well as the upgrading of operational manuals for overload
control.
My Department is currently conducting research on various options of introducing
portable weighing equipment to continuously improve this technology in order to
offer desired accuracies for not only heavy vehicle screening but also for
prosecution purposes.
A new administrative fee will be introduced in the near future - over and above
traffic fines for damage caused on the roads. The intention is to strike a
balance between the amount of damage that heavy vehicles inflict on the road
network and the fines imposed on overloading culprits.
Concrete Projects
In order to accelerate the implementation of our National Overload Control
Strategy we are already implementing specific projects throughout the country.
Our priority is to upgrade provincial weighbridge infrastructure and
particularly to target offenders who are using the provincial road network as
alternative routes to avoid weighbridges.
We have also begun with a self-regulation initiative in partnership with the
private sector. We have particularly started the implementation of this
initiative with the Timber Industry and we intend to expand into other
industries. And currently we are looking in the direction of Coal, Paper and
Pulp industries.
We are also in the process of establishing a Special Overload Control Unit –
which will target the worst over-loaders in South Africa both in terms of severe
overloading and repeat overloading. This unit will use mobile load control units
which can be deployed anywhere with weighing scales to enable “on the spot”
charging and also producing evidence that will be admissible in court for
prosecutions.
Launch of Donkerhoek Traffic Control Centre
The Centre we are launching today is a clear demonstration of the promotion of
Public Private Partnerships as part of increasing the role of the private sector
in the provision of overload control infrastructure and the supply of hi-tech
equipment for overload control operations.
The Donkerhoek Traffic Control Centre (TCC) is just but one of many initiatives
being introduced to preserve our road network. This is the last Traffic Control
Centre (TCC) facility on the section of the N4 between Pretoria and the
RSA/Mozambique border. Overloading in this area is standing at 30-35%. In the
network comprising of the N4, the R25 and R104 the average daily truck traffic
is 2500. This means that about 850 trucks are overloaded in this corridor on a
daily basis.
At other similar facilities such as Heidelberg and further east on the N4
overloading was at similar levels and with the introduction of these modern,
technologically advanced facilities levels of overloading, have been reduced to
1%. I have no doubt that this facility will be similarly successful.
This facility is also a concrete example of good cooperative governance and
partnerships. The Gauteng Department of Community Safety has provided the law
enforcement resources, while the South African National Roads Agency Limited
(SANRAL) has procured the construction of this facility and the services of the
operator.
This centre will be operated by the Concessionaire TRAC, giving them a direct
interest in the road for which they are responsible.
I can also assure you that in this facility we have installed the best screening
equipment inside the toll lanes at the Diamond Hill toll plaza. All heavy
vehicles are compelled to drive through the screened lane to check for possible
overloading - and if detected the vehicles are redirected to this centre. This
facility also has a vehicle testing facility for vehicle fitness. And drivers
will also undergo a basic eyesight, alcohol and drug test.
Distinguished guests, we can not allow billions of investment on the road
infrastructure to be flashed down the drain due to overloading. The TIME is now
for all stakeholders to act as a collective in improving self-regulation but
also in dealing with habitual offenders, once and for all.
I thank the Timber industry for their forthright participation and look forward
to other consignees joining this initiative to preserve and make our roads
safer. I also thank the Gauteng Province and our law enforcement officers for
their dedication and commitment to make our roads safe.
I THANK YOU