KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, DR BE NDZIMANDE, MP, FOR THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE INTERCHANGE, HELD AT THE SQUARE BOUTIQUE HOTEL, IN UMHLANGA,

30 October 2018

Programme Director

Honourable Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Willies Mchunu; MECs present here today;

The Executive Mayor of EThekwini, Cllr ZandileGumede;

Members of the Portfolio Committee of Transport;

Acting Director-General of the Department, Mr. Chris Hlabisa;

Heads of Department;

Deputy Director-Generals;

Chairpersons and CEOs of Public Entities;

Officials of Government and Public Entities;

Political Formations, Trade Unions, Civil Society Organizations;

The Private Sector;

Members of the media;

Ladies and Gentlemen

Honourable Premier

As I greet you on this balmy Durban morning, I am overwhelmed by significant national game-changing developments that have recently taken place just before

1 this momentous occasion when the Mount Edgecombe Interchange is to be officially opened.

Today’s ceremony comes between the significantannouncements last Friday of the committed investments totalling R290 billion that will hopefully jumpstart our economy. We are also ending the Transport Month tomorrow, a month during which we have engaged our people and communities as well as showcased the country’s transport infrastructure development and services.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been leading a sterling effort in promoting both domestic and foreign direct investment into ountry, with the holding of the historic, inaugural South AfricaInvestment Conference, which by all accounts has been a huge success that will hopefully yield thousands of jobs for our people and place our economy onto a higher developmental trajectory.

The President has correctly described the pledged investments as an expression of a shared hope, renewed confidence and a bold statement that we are determined to put behind us the period of uncertainty, discord and state capture so that we inaugurate an era of development, cooperation and partnership.

I am certain that all South Africans will rally behind the President’s declaration that we are determined to build a country that is driven by economicdevelopment and innovation, to develop an economy that is diverse and resilient and prosperous, and to create companies that achieve sustained returns not only for their shareholders, but also for the workers that drive them and the communities that support them.

Programme Director,

As President Ramaphosa has also correctly observed, the deliberate exclusion of millions of South Africans - particularly as it relates to skills and ownership of assets - has been the single greatest impediment to the growth and development of our economy and society, even a quarter century after the attainment of freedom.

Thus, in an effort to lessen the grinding poverty and paucity of education, health facilities and other basic amenities, Government has placed economic growth and job creation at the centre of the national agenda.

Last week Thursday, the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa officially launched the Gibela Train Manufacturing Plant in Dunnottar, Ekurhuleni in Gauteng Province.

2 The President lauded the plant as a key component of our investment into infrastructurethat will boost the economy by becoming the gateway for the manufacturing of trains and rail components. The President further underlined the importance of this investment for skills development for the industrialization of our economy.

During his keynote address the President also pointed out that R400 billion has been set aside for infrastructure developments, and that the building and modernization of rail infrastructure is a top priority of government in this regard.

The Supplier Park and Rail Training School