Transport dept to spend millions to fix KZN's potholes and get bullet train on track

Fixing kilometres of potholes, getting a bullet train between Gauteng and Durban on track, fixing flood-damaged infrastructure, helping regional airports to fly and pushing for port efficiency is on the KwaZulu-Natal transport's bucket list to grow the province's economy. 

This emerged during the presentation of the department’s R13bn budget for the 2025/26 financial year by MEC Siboniso Duma at the provincial legislature on Friday.

Duma said the department will spend R9.2bn (over 70%) of the total budget on transport infrastructure; mainly the 34,405km provincial road network, of which 8,705km is paved and 25,699km unpaved.

“Over R 3.8bn will be spent on constructing new infrastructural projects, while over R4.3bn will maintain our road network. Over R 102m will be spent on infrastructure planning and design, with over R927m being allocated to support programmes within transport infrastructure,” he said.

He noted the paved network needed heavy investment in maintenance and rehabilitation including the patching of potholes.

The department allocated a budget of more than R216.5m towards the programme of Black Top Patching in the current financial year.

“In the 2023/24 financial year the department procured 55 trucks at a cost of R103m to tackle the backlog of 3.12-million m² of potholes,” said Duma.

“We intend to procure a further 25 trucks to reinforce our efforts to eradicate potholes on our network. The department has also appointed more than 100 road worker aids and foremen to be on the front lines in our fight against potholes.”

Duma, together with KwaZulu-Natal premier Thami Ntuli and Umgungundlovu district mayor Mzi Zuma, launched the programme before his budget presentation.

“We are in the process of appointing a specialist automated road rehabilitation and pothole patching service provider to deliver a speedy means of pothole patching in strategic areas of our province. This exercise will contribute greatly towards the capitation and development of small contractors and employment of targeted labour.”

A significant amount of the budget will be spent on repairing flood-damaged infrastructure, including the completion of rehabilitation projects in the Empangeni, Durban, Ladysmith Pietermaritzburg regions.

Duma also revealed that upgrading freight and aviation networks in the province is among the key priorities for the department.

He said they will work with national government and follow existing provincial policy initiatives to develop an effective freight transportation system to support economic growth in KwaZulu-Natal.

The national department of transport divided Transnet Freight Rail into a Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM), which will manage and maintain rail infrastructure, and Transnet Freight Rail Operating Company (TFROC) which will open the market to third parties.

Duma said they will align themselves with this arrangement and will have a dedicated team working with the national department and other stakeholders to undertake this work.

“Undoubtedly, this arrangement will ensure revenue generation to fund the rehabilitation of the rail network.”

He said his department had earmarked two railway branch lines to revive: one in Durban Metro and another in Dr Nkosazana Zuma local municipality.

Regarding aviation, he said they have been working with economic development to assist regional airports to grow and be compliant with the regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

He reiterated the importance of the transport and logistics sectors for the local economy and stated that the two major KZN KwaZulu-Natal ports, Richards Bay and Durban, were central to it.

“Both ports are economically strategic not only to KwaZulu-Natal but also to the national economy since they are linked to the economic heartland of South Africa, Gauteng, via our road infrastructure.

“The Port of Durban is also a transit point for cross-border container traffic for our neighbouring countries and a gateway to Southern Africa. The ports of Richards Bay and Durban are important contributors to international trade and significant enablers of South Africa's and the province's economic development.”

He said the proposed bullet train between Durban and Gauteng will be an exciting development that will bridge the gap between the two provinces and added that the department will be part of a Freight Indaba with other key industry stakeholders.

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