26 Nov 2015

Safe and sustainable transport infrastructure is an important tool in economic development, according to acting director department of road transport and safety, Mr Bokhutlo Modukanele.

Officially opening a two-day second International Conference on Transportation in Africa in Palapye , Mr Modukanele said a safe and sustainable transport was linked to making human development a reality.

He said transport addressed the fundamental need of people to have access to employment, markets, goods and services such as education and health care, adding that without access to adequate transport infrastructure and services, the Millennium Development Goals would not be effectively met.

However, he said road safety in Africa was a major challenge, adding that the World Bank predicted that road fatalities in Africa would increase by 80 per cent by 2020.

“This endemic challenge needs to be addressed by all and should take precedence in all our plans,” he said.

Mr Modukanele said it was the responsibility of the individual countries to draw up their own programmes on the basis of their specific needs and characteristics.

He said there was need for regional networking and collaboration on matters that related to road safety.

In addition he said governments alone could not solve the problems hence a need for engagement of all the stakeholders through research collaboration and networking from the top high level government officials down to the local communities.

The conference attracted transport professionals from academic, business and public sector.

The aim of the conference was to deliberate on the issue of safe and sustainable transport infrastructure and to come up with solutions to critical challenges facing transportation in Africa. Ends