Agencies

Public entities reporting to the Minister of Transport and annually prepares and submit Business Plans to the Minister.

RAF - Road Accident Fund

South African Rail Commuter Corporation

The South African Rail Commuter Corporation is a statutory agent which aims to provide effective and efficient rail commuter services under concession agreements. In addition to fare revenue its main sources of revenue are the subsidies to cover operational losses and grants to meet capital expenditure.

Urban Transport Fund

The Fund was established in terms of the Urban Transport Act of 1977. On a yearly basis a budget is submitted to the Minister of Transport for approval after funds have been allocated through Parliament to the budget of the Department of Transport. The fund is utilised for urban transport projects, the major project being the extension of the Khayelitsha commuter rail line and the Mabopane station.

South African National Roads Agency Ltd (NRA)

The purpose of this Agency is to maintain and develop South Africa's 7 000 km national road network and to manage assets with an estimated value of more than R135 billion. The enabling Act charges the Agency, a company registered in terms of the Companies Act, with the following principal tasks:

• Strategically plan, design, construct, operate, rehabilitate and maintain the national roads
• Deliver and maintain a world-class national road network
• Generate revenues from the development and management of the assets
• Undertake research and development to enhance the quality of roads
• Advise the Minister of Transport on matters relating to national and other roads

Road Accident Fund

The Road Accident Fund, compensates victims of motor vehicle accidents on terms and conditions provided for in various Acts. The Fund receives a dedicated Road Accident Fund levy, which is imposed on petrol and diesel.

The administration of the Fund and benefits payable are being reviewed and a Road Accident Fund Commission has been established to investigate ways in which the Fund can be restructured.

Cross-Border Road Transport Agency

The Agency regulates the cross-border public, freight and road market. It facilitates the establishment of cooperative and consultative relationships and structures between public and private sector institutions with an interest in cross-border road transport. The Agency is self-sustaining through a cross-border levy.

Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company Ltd

Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company is responsible for safe, orderly and expeditious air traffic and navigational and associated services in its area of control. It provides extensive air traffic information services and related aeronautical support services in the major airspace and at 21 airports throughout South Africa. The Company College is a well-established facility currently used by a large number of African countries for air traffic services training, as well as technical training for equipment support. Company objectives for 2002-2004 include:

• Implementation of the 3 Flight Information Region Concept in RSA-managed airspace
• Enhancement of Air traffic Management Service Delivery to users
• Participation in the development and implementation of one regional upper airspace management centre for SADC
• Commercial sustainability, achieving set financial targets

The Company does not receive government transfers and derives its funding from its operations.

South African Maritime Safety Authority

The activities of Maritime Safety Authority aims to ensure the safety of life and property at sea, prevent oil pollution by ships, and promote South Africa as a maritime nation. The Authority derives its funding from a combination of government service fees (about R6 million a year); direct user charges, which account for about 11% of its operating income; and levies on ships calling at South African ports, which account for 75% of total revenue. The Authority's total revenue is estimated at about R30 million a year over the medium term.

South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

The primary purpose of the Civil Aviation Authority is to promote, regulate and support high levels of safety throughout the civil aviation industry. Its core activities relate to aviation safety oversight of operations, aircraft, personnel, airports and airspace. The Authority's medium-term objectives are:

• Set civil aviation safety and security standards and ensure compliance through scheduled and ad hoc oversight inspections
• Collect, process and disseminate prescribed aeronautical safety information
• Enhance civil aviation safety through making safety recommendations arising from accident investigations, analysing aviation safety data, developing and implementing safety promotional campaigns and activities
• Provide advice and service to ensure organisational compliance with the law and minimise risks

The Authority receives transfers as subsidies and user charges for ministerial directives on aircraft accident investigations. These transfers are projected to decline over the medium term. The Authority receives most of its revenue from industry user fees and levies. The Authority targets a ratio of 60% of total budget from Government and industry user fees, and 40% from levies.

Airports Company of South Africa Limited (ACSA)

The Airports Company of South Africa's main operational activities are in three areas:

• Airport services, including the provision and maintenance of runways, taxi-ways and aprons together with terminal facilities, security, fire and rescue services
• Retail activities, including the provision of space within terminals to appropriate retailers (generally through turnover-related concessions) and other sites to operators such as car hire firms, banks and advertisers
• Property activities, including the development of airport infrastructure, retail and office premises and car parking facilities, as well as functioning as commercial landlords

National Transport Information System (NaTIS)

NaTIS is a system used by all the offices and/or appointed agents to execute the content of the National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act No 93 of 1996). The province that was last to use NaTIS, has been the North West towards the end of 1998. About 2000 users in South Africa utilise NaTIS on a daily basis.

NaTIS is also used in Namibia and Lesotho. Although the information is kept separate, the standardisation would be required because the application of a common system would prevent cross-border crime.

Proposed Road Traffic Management Corporation

Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) will be responsible for vehicle registration, traffic information systems, public communication and traffic law enforcement. The RTMC will be set up under a shareholder committee consisting of the national Minister of Transport, the provincial Transport MEC's and the South African Local Government Association. The process for adjudicating road traffic offences has been reformed and is now administrative, rather than judicial. The Road Traffic Infringement Agency will serve as the collection agency for outstanding traffic fines and adjudicate contested traffic offences.