Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has announced a R102 billion budget allocation designed to transform South Africa’s logistics landscape and address critical bottlenecks hampering freight movement. Central to the plan is a target to shift up to 24 million tonnes of cargo annually beginning next year—a move intended to strengthen export capacity and catalyze broader economic recovery.
Creecy framed the budget within a wider reform strategy aimed at rebuilding rail as the core of an integrated national transport network for both people and goods. She confirmed that the department is currently reviewing all public transport grant mechanisms to simplify access and improve usability for commuters across the country.
Road safety remains a pressing focus. The Minister highlighted South Africa’s persistently high traffic fatality rate and confirmed that priority is being given to rolling out phase two of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) system. Additionally, legislative amendments are being prepared to enforce a zero-tolerance alcohol policy for drivers, complementing continued law enforcement initiatives that Creecy says are gradually improving road safety outcomes.
In the aviation sector, infrastructure upgrades are advancing—particularly at OR Tambo International Airport—to expand both passenger handling capacity and air freight throughput.
A structural reform at the heart of the freight strategy involves establishing the National Ports Authority as a financially and operationally independent entity, distinct from Transnet. Creecy explained that the ports authority has historically functioned as a “cash cow” for the Transnet group, with its revenues subsidizing rail operations while port infrastructure itself remained underfunded. Collaborative work with National Treasury and Transnet on balance sheet restructuring is underway, with announcements expected this year to place both entities on sustainable financial footing and enhance their combined contribution to freight logistics efficiency.
Clarifying jurisdictional boundaries, Creecy stated that her national department holds no operational role in commuter rail services, which fall under provincial competence.
Turning to the minibus taxi sector, Creecy underscored its indispensable role: approximately 80% of South African commuters rely on taxis, and the industry stands as the nation’s largest black-owned economic sector, with an estimated net value equivalent to 14% of GDP. She affirmed that the department maintains regular dialogue with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), including joint annual engagements with the Police Minister to address taxi-related violence and encourage stronger industry self-regulation.
Creecy noted that an estimated 85,000 more taxis operate on South African roads than current demand warrants. This route oversaturation, she explained, fuels both conflict among operators and undermines route profitability. The department is actively engaging the industry to promote greater self-policing and operational discipline. She also addressed public concerns about vigilante-style “patrollers” obstructing private lift clubs—a practice she has repeatedly raised with SANTACO leadership. The council has issued public statements clarifying that such actions are not officially sanctioned, and Creecy confirmed she continues to flag individual incidents directly with SANTACO’s executive team.
On digital mobility services, Creecy reported that regulatory frameworks for e-hailing are now in place, with seven platforms already registered. The next phase involves licensing tens of thousands of individual drivers—a complex but essential step to ensure all land transport providers operate under consistent standards, fostering a fair and regulated market.
Collectively, these measures represent a coordinated effort to modernize South Africa’s transport ecosystem, enhance freight reliability, and ensure inclusive, safe, and efficient mobility for all citizens.