Question NW2255 to the Minister of Transport
20 November 2020 - NW2255
Mabhena, Mr TB to ask the Minister of Transport
(1)Whether, with reference to the (a) recent unrest in Mpumalanga, particularly in the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality, Dr J S Moroka Local Municipality and Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality and (b) weeks-long protest at the Union Buildings by the specified communities demanding the implementation of the Moloto Rail Corridor, his department is still committed to the specified project, if so, (2) what total amount has his department budgeted for the (a) current financial year and (b) next two financial years for the implementation of the Moloto Rail Corridor; (3) whether he will commit to have a series of public meetings in the affected areas to give information regarding the (a) updated project time lines or time frames and (b) implementation, if not, why not; if so, what are the further relevant details?
Reply:
(1)(a)&(b) On 30 October 2014, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), submitted the Moloto Rail Corridor, Public Private Partnership (PPP), Treasury Approval 1 application to National Treasury for consideration. On 3 December 2015, the DirectorGeneral of National Treasury responded to the CEO of PRASA informing him that the Treasury Approval 1 application was not granted.
On 31 October 2017, the Department motivated funding through the National Treasury’s Budget Facility on Infrastructure (BFI) for the development of the Moloto Rail Corridor. On 5 April 2018, the Department received the outcome of the application indicating that the request for funding was not supported and that no funding will be made available to further develop a rapid rail solution because the exploration of non-transport solutions should be investigated in addition to transport solutions to comprehensively respond to corridor challenges.
(2) Please refer to response in (1)
(3) Seven (7) public engagements in the form of Imbizoshave been conducted with the Siyabuswa, KwaMhlanga, Moloto and surrounding communities. These were conducted as part of providing progress on the planned Moloto Rail Project, Road expansion project and the overall exposure of the service delivery by Government and the Department of Transport’s public entities. The last public engagement conducted with a purpose of providing information on the status of both the road and rail initiatives status was held on 5 June 2017.
With regard to the Moloto Road Project, SANRAL concluded 12 stakeholder engagements sessions prior to Covid-19 Lockdown, details listed in the table below. With the easing the COVID19 lockdown restrictions, SANRAL will be resuming the stakeholder engagements as planned or necessitated by events on the ground in project sites.
SANRAL Moloto Road Corridor Stakeholder Engagements
|
TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT |
ROAD SECTION / TARGET AREA (COMMUNITY) |
DATE |
|
Stakeholder engagement: Taking SANRAL to Moloto |
R573 Section 1 & 2 - Moloto |
2 March 2018 |
|
Mpumalanga Youth Dialogue - Engagement |
R573 Section 2 - KwaMhlanga |
5 December 2018 |
|
Stakeholder Engagement - Taking SANRAL to Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality |
R573 Section 3- Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality |
30 May 2019 |
|
Access Agreement meeting |
R573 Section 3 – Slovo/ Moteti B |
29 August 2019 |
|
Access Agreement meeting |
R573 Section 3 – Slovo/ Moteti B &Oorlog Villages |
11 October 2019 |
|
Ministerial Event: Signing of MOU – Transfer of R573 Sec 1 to SANRAL |
R573 Section 1 & 2 - Moloto |
15 November 2019 |
|
Pre- Community Resolution meeting/ Information session |
R573 Section 2 - Kwaggafontein A & B |
4 February 2020 |
|
Pre- Community Resolution meeting/ Information session |
R573 Section 2 - Mandlethu (Vlaklaagte No.1) &Mobhoko Village |
5 February 2020 |
|
Pre- Community Resolution meeting/ Information session |
R573 Section 2 - Mzimkhulu |
6 February 2020 |
|
Pre- Community Resolution meeting/ Information session |
R573 Section 2 - Tweefontein E &Buhlebesiswe (Vlaklaagte No.2) |
18 February 2020 |
|
Pre- Community Resolution meeting/ Information session |
R573 Section 3 – Slovo, Moteti B &Oorlog Villages |
10 March 2020 |
|
Pre- Community Resolution meeting/ Information session |
R573 Section 3 – Stompo/Waalkraal B, Waalkraal A and Waalkraal Ext Villages |
11 March 2020 |