Long-term horizon set for SANRAL
SANRAL has embarked on the development of a new, long- term strategy which articulates its vision and the necessary strategic and tactical interventions needed to deliver on its objectives.
"The more than 22 000km of roads managed by SANRAL are a critical public asset, with an estimated net asset value of R251.6 billion" says Skhumbuzo Macozoma, the CEO of the South African National Roads Agency. "Our aim is to ensure the national road network creates economic value for the entire nation and supports the growth of an inclusive economy."
Horizon 2030 is the new long-term strategy that has been approved by the SANRAL Board for consultation. It will now be presented to various stakeholders, including communities, industry bodies, strategic partners and labour throughout the country.
"We are confident that we are building a better South Africa through delivering better roads," says Macozoma. This has been embedded in our new vision "to provide a national road transport system that delivers a better South Africa for all".
In 2018, SANRAL will start its third decade as the custodian of the national road network. The new strategy takes into account the priorities of the National Development Plan and government's strategic objective to build a more inclusive economy.
"The national road network should be at the core of future strategic planning in South Africa. It links people to opportunities, connects communities across rural and urban divides and holds vast potential for job creation, empowerment and skills development. It is sustained by the symbiotic relationship between all the respective road authorities from national to provincial and local.
"Through Horizon 2030, SANRAL wants to highlight the role that the national road network can play in contributing to the aims of the National Development Plan to reduce inequality, support employment and eliminate poverty by the end of the next decade," says the Minister of Transport, Joe Maswanganyi.
"We want to demonstrate how state-owned entities such as SANRAL are assets to the South African economy, can add significant value and be relevant to the lives of all South Africans."
Macozoma says the new strategy outlines a number of key strategic perspectives that seek to build on SANRAL's reputation for engineering excellence while also taking into account the changing role of national roads. Horizon 2030 has now elevated stakeholders and road safety into its core pillars, recognising the crucial role these play in SANRAL's successful delivery and in preserving the lives of our people.
Government continues to affirm road safety as a national priority and SANRAL, as outlined in the strategy, will play its role in the provision of both safe road infrastructure and technology and promote road safety education and awareness.
The strategy calls for a number of key deliverables that include the development of Roads 2030 long-term plan, public transport enablement, an enhanced role in terms of community development, equitable access to economic opportunities and an integrated funding model.
Macozoma says consultation on the content of the strategy should contribute to a more informed public debate on future funding policy for road infrastructure. Roads have to compete for funds from the fiscus with other socio-economic priorities and it is of critical importance to find a workable funding strategy.
"Horizon 2030 is SANRAL's proactive response to the changing dynamics across various sectors of the economy and society. In addition, it will ensure that communities across the country share the benefits of a well-managed road network that supports the growth of a transformed economy that contributes to job creation and empowerment," says Maswanganyi.