The Department of Transport

The following purpose and functions was approved for the Department of Transport:

Purpose:

To provide an integrated, sustainable, reliable and safe transport system, through safety and economic regulation, planning, development, coordination, promotion and implementation of transport policies and strategies.

Functions:

  1. Coordinate and render an effective, efficient strategic support and administrative service to the Minister, DG and Department;
  2. Effectively manage a national innovative research and development programme, analyse strategic policies, develop appropriate legislation and provide economic advice and analysis for all modes of transport;
  3. Create an enabling environment for regulating all transport modes and manage transport accidents and incident investigations;
  4. Manage and facilitate the development of integrated planning and inter-sphere coordination for transport;
  5. Manage the implementation of the national freight logistics strategy and manage the development of logistic corridors;
  6. Develop practices and norms that will increase access to appropriate and quality public transport to meet the socio-economic needs of both rural and urban assengers
  7. Develop appropriate mandates and monitoring mechanisms for public entities, develop and implement transport economic regulation and manage border operations and control
     

Structural Composition

The Department consist of the following Branches:

  1. Branch Administration/Operations (includes the Office of the Director General, Transport Ministry, Management Services, Communication and Financial Services);
  2. Branch Transport Research, Policy & Economic Analysis ;
  3. Branch Transport Regulation and Accident and Incident Investigation;
  4. Branch Integrated Planning & Inter-sphere Coordination;
  5. Branch Transport Logistics and Corridor Development;
  6. Branch Public Transport; and
  7. Branch Public Entity Oversight and Economic Regulation.

1.Branch Administration/Operations

Purpose:

To coordinate and render an effective, efficient, strategic support and administrative service to the Minister, DG and Department.

Overall Functions:

  • Provide an effective support service to the Minister of Transport;
  • Manage all communication activities;
  • Provide an effective support service to the DG;
  • Provide Financial and Internal Audit Services; and
  • Provide effective and efficient management services to the Department.

Administration

Consists of the Transport Ministry, the Office the Director General, Communication, Financial Services and Management Services. The Branch’s overall aim is to provide  effective strategic support to the whole department. A fraud and corruption investigative service will be provided from the Office of the DG, to ensure independent and objective investigative  services. Financial Services are strengthened to provide effective financial transactional services particularly in relation to the agencies. The Department is currently involved in the RAF  restructuring as well as the roll out of AARTO and the Taxi Recapitalisation project. These projects will not be successful if a dedicated communications campaign is not launched for each one of these areas. To ensure that the Chief Directorate Communication can meet these demands the structure for communication had to be strengthened and a post of DDG has been provided to lead these processes successfully

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will provide strategic support to the DG and the Department through managing the strategic process, participating in inter departmental and other governmental strategic projects, manage the departmental systems and processes for participation in the Government Cluster systems, coordinate Transport’s international relations and manage departmental investigations and forensics.

Administration

Administration consists of the following:

  • Transport Ministry
  • Office of the Director General
  • Communication
  • Financial Services
  • Management Services

2.  2. Branch Transport Research, Policy & Economic Analysis

Purpose:

To effectively manage a national innovative research and development programme, analyse strategic policies, develop appropriate legislation and provide economic advice and analysis for all modes of transport.

Functions:

  • Effectively manage a national innovative research and development programme;
  • Ensure the analysis and development of integrated strategic transport policies;
  • Develop appropriate legislation in support of departmental policies;
  • Provide economic advice and analysis for all transport modes;
  • Provide general administrative and stakeholder management services to the Branch.

The Deputy Director General (DDG) Transport Research, Policy & Economic Analysis and conducts the overall management of the Branch. The DDG is supported by four Chief  Directorates and the Subdirectorate Administration and Stakeholder Management.
Chief Directorate: Research and Development
Chief Directorate: Policy Analysis and Impact Monitoring
Chief Directorate: Legislation
Chief Directorate: Transport Economic Analysis.
Subdirectorate Administration and Stakeholder Management

Government Departments have been mandated to take the leading role in research and development programmes for their core objectives. For this reason the Directorate Research has been upgraded to include its own research component (currently research projects are outsourced) and to provide a supportive statistical analysis service to the whole Department. The Chief Directorate is also tasked to manage the knowledge assets of the department. The Directorate Legislation is upgraded to Chief Directorate level to provide a more effective legislation development and implementation programme in support of the transport policy framework.

3.  3. Branch Transport Regulation and Accident and Incident Investigation

Purpose:

To create an enabling environment for the regulation of all transport modes and manage transport accidents and incident investigation.

Functions:

  • Facilitate the management of a safe and internationally competitive regulatory framework for rail transport
  • Facilitate the management of a safe and internationally competitive regulatory framework for road transport regulation
  • Facilitate the management of a safe and internationally competitive regulatory framework for air transport
  • Facilitate the management of a safe and internationally competitive regulatory framework for maritime transport
  • Manage search and rescue operations and accident and incident investigations for all transport modes; and
  • Provide general administrative and stakeholder management services to the Branch

The DDG Transport Regulation and Accident and Incident Investigation conducts the overall management of the Branch and is supported by five Chief Directorates and one Subdirectorate. Chief Directorate Rail Regulation
Chief Directorate Road Transport Regulation
Chief Directorate Civil Aviation
Chief Directorate Maritime Regulation
Chief Directorate Accident and Incident Investigation
Subdirectorate Administration and Stakeholder Management

Until recently, the Department did not take an active role in the rail industry with regard to economic and safety regulation matters. The Directorate Rail is upgraded to Chief Directorate level which, should assist in the enhancement of rail transport in the country overall. A need has also been identified for the direct involvement of the Department into the investigation of accidents and incidents in all modes of transport. The provision of a dedicated Directorate for accident and incident investigation for each mode of transport will assist in ensuring safer transport systems. The Directorate Search and Rescue is included in this Chief Directorate.

4.   4. Branch Integrated Planning & Inter-sphere Coordination

Purpose:

To manage and facilitate the development of an integrated planning and inter-sphere coordination for Transport;

Functions:

  • Manage Integrated Transport Planning, coordination and evaluation;
  • Manage transport integrated delivery programmes;
  • Manage integrated infrastructure network development;
  • Manage the coordination of transport projects in relation to the 2010 Soccer World Cup; and
  • Provide general administrative and stakeholder management services to the Branch.

The DDG Integrated Planning & Intersphere Coordination conducts the overall management of the Branch and is supported by four Chief Directorates and one Subdirectorate. Chief Directorate Integrated Transport Planning
Chief Directorate Integrated Delivery Programme
Chief Directorate Integrated Infrastructure Network Development
Chief Directorate 2010 Soccer WC Coordination
Subdirectorate Administration and Stakeholder Management

The Branch is provided with additional capacity to ensure transport delivers on the 2010 World Soccer Cup.The Chief Directorate 2010 World Cup Coordination will provide support in the coordination of projects and technical support to the major stakeholders responsible for the successful delivery of transport systems.Additional capacity has been provided for the National Transport Master Plan and Rural Development.

5.  5. Branch Public Transport

Purpose:

To develop practices and norms that will increase access to appropriate and quality public transport to meet the socio-economic needs of both rural and urban passengers.

Functions:

  • Facilitate implementation of PT service delivery through the management of the subsidy budget and promotion of strategic objectives;
  • Manage the implementation and monitoring of the Taxi Recap project;
  • Manage public transport business development;
  • Develop public transport implementation strategies and pilot projects; and 
  • Provide general administrative and stakeholder management services to the Branch

The DDG Public Transport conducts the overall management of the Branch and is supported by four Chief Directorates and one Subdirectorate.
Chief Directorate Public Transport Management
Chief Directorate Taxi Recap Project Office
Chief Directorate PT Business Development
Chief Directorate PT Strategy & Monitoring
Subdirectorate Administration and Stakeholder Management

The department has embarked upon the fast tracking of the Taxi Recap Project in support of the forthcoming 2010 Soccer World Cup. To ensure effective implementation of this project, additional capacity is provided through the creation of a dedicated Chief Directorate Taxi Recap Management. The Chief Directorate is tasked to provide assistance to the 9 provinces with the roll out of the project. A Directorate is provided to manage financial aspects and procurement issues, as this is an integral part of the project. To ensure delivery the implementation process will be monitored to prevent possible fraud and corruption during the implementation of the project. Additional capacity has also been provided to enhance public transport business development on Chief Directorate level. The creation of the Directorate Public Transport Integrated Systems has become necessary to support the objectives of the Branch to assist in public transport service delivery.

6.   6. Branch Transport Logistics and Corridor Development

Purpose:

To manage the implementation of the national freight logistics strategy and manage the development of logistic corridors.

Functions:

  • Manage the implementation of the National Freight Logistics Strategy;
  • Manage the development of the Eastern Freight Corridors; and
  • Manage the development of the Western Freight Corridors; and
  • Provide general administrative and stakeholder management services to the Branch.

The DDG Transport Logistics and Corridor Development conducts the overall management of the Branch and is supported by three Chief Directorates and one Subdirectorate. 

Chief Directorate National Freight Logistics
Chief Directorate Western Corridor Development
Chief Directorate Eastern Corridor Development
Subdirectorate Administration and Stakeholder Management

Additional lower level capacity is provided in each of the three Chief Directorates to give effect the freight strategy.

7.   7. Branch Public Entity Oversight and Economic Regulation

Purpose:

To develop appropriate mandates and monitoring mechanisms for public entities, develop and implement transport economic regulation and manage logistic border operations and control.

Functions:

  • Develop appropriate mandates and monitoring mechanisms for public entities;
  • Manage the development and implementation of transport economic regulation frameworks;
  • Manage logistic border operations and control; and
  • Provide general administrative and stakeholder management services to the Branch.

The DDG Public Entity Oversight and Economic Regulation conducts the overall management of the Branch and is supported by three Chief Directorates and one Subdirectorate. 

Chief Directorate Public Entity Oversight
Chief Directorate Economic Regulation
Chief Directorate Border Operations and Control
Subdirectorate Administration and Stakeholder Management

This Branch is newly created and includes the existing Chief Directorate Public Entity Oversight. The growing number of public entities and agencies reporting to the Department has necessitated that a dedicated Deputy Director General be provided for this function as public entities also affect economic regulation and logistic border operations. The Department’s public entities and agencies were created to provide efficient operational services to the public. The Department has in total 11 public entities and agencies reporting to the Minister of Transport, they are:

  • South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA);
  • South African National Roads Agency Limited, (SANRAL):
  • South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA):
  • Cross Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA):
  • Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS):
  • Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA):
  • Road Accident Fund (RAF):
  • Rail Safety Regulator (RSR):
  • South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC):
  • Independent Ports Regulator (IPR), which is currently in the process of being set up);
  • Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

The objectives of this component is to ensure sound governance in public entities through the development of effective systems for financial and risk management and internal control and to further ensure that the public entities’ strategic objectives are aligned to those of the Department and government. The Chief Directorate further aims to:

  • Expand the range of monitoring instruments;
  • Manage the restructuring of ACSA;
  • Lead the process of integrating Metrorail, Shosholoza Meyl and SARCC;
  • Lead the process of transforming the RAF;

Currently the transport sector has a number of safety regulators, but economic regulation exists only in the aviation sector to regulate tariffs. Therefore a Chief Directorate Economic Regulation has been provided to put in place the Department’s strategy to expand economic regulation across the transport sector. All four modes of transport are provided for. This includes one component to focus on cross border activities. Due to the lack of the necessary skills to populate this Chief Directorate and effect implementation of the function, the Department will consider a partnership with an international service provider. The service provider will be mandated to provide the necessary skills and to provide in service training to selected staff in this Chief Directorate. A framework for economic regulation in the industry needs to be reviewed and further developed.

The South African economy has grown faster than the rate of investment in transport infrastructure and the development of logistical systems to support effective and efficient freight transportation systems. The existing models for freight transport are close to its limits. The lack of reliability in the rail network, the reliance by many exporters on costly road freight transport and the poor throughput at most South African ports, is not wholly a consequence of inadequate infrastructure but also linked to outdated managerial and operational practices. The freight logistics system is under review to inform not only the necessary investment in infrastructure, but also to identify operational improvements to gain maximum leverage in order to eliminate the bottlenecks in the freight logistics system. The process of restructuring port administration through the establishment of an independent Ports Regulator is also expected to have a positive impact on the efficiency of freight logistics. To address this development area at the various ports of entry, a Chief Directorate Border Operations and Control has been provided for on the structure to manage logistic border operations, with the aim to enhance current operations.