Department of Transport & Public Works SECOND QUARTERLY EDITION 2011 • VOLUME 2 NO 2 • DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS NEWSLETTER PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE SAFETY REGULATIONS AT RAIL LEVEL CROSSINGS, URGES DEPARTMENT PEDESTRIANS, motorists and six dangerous crossings and and Buttskop Way in Blackheath. cyclists often ignore booms and categorised them according to The others are at Kromme Rhee warning signals at railway level risks. The report said the education near Koelenhof, Vlaeberg Road crossings, sometimes with fatal of users was one of the first near Lynedoch, and Muldersvlei consequences. things that had to happen. Other Road near Muldersvlei. recommendations made by the team In August 2010 ten school children include technical and engineering The Task Team is exploring private died when the driver of a minibus changes, as well as enforcing safety sector funding options. Interested allegedly passed nine waiting regulations diligently. parties can contact the Ministry of vehicles at the Buttskop crossing Transport and Public Works at 021 in Blackheath and collided with a Three of the crossings are 483 2200 or email info@safelyhome. train. In October 2010 a woman situated in the Cape Town co.za. Interventions such as booms died when the car she was Metropolitan area and three in and access control barriers will be travelling in collided with a train the Cape Winelands district. The dependent on receiving funding at a crossing near Paarl. Both metropolitan crossings are in White assistance from the private sector incidents allegedly happened and Military Roads in Steenberg, or national government. because safety regulations had been ignored. The Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works, in co-operation with the City of Cape Town and Metrorail, called a level crossing mini-summit in November last year to address fatalities at such crossings. A task team was established to look at what measures could be implemented to ensure greater safety. In its report the task team said the most important thing was for people to change their attitudes People’s flagrant disregard for safety rules at railway crossings is one of the major reasons for and take responsibility for their accidents and fatalities at such spots. At this crossing people are ignoring a boom that goes down actions. The team identified when a train approaches. (Photo: The Independent Cape) Safely Home pg 4 Goodbye Gouldburn! pg 5 Beware! Speeding.. pg 10 Apprentices pg 13 _Transport_News_FA.indd 1 4/6/11 4:19:18 PM EDITORIAL ENTHUSIASM AND ‘TO GO THE EXTRA MILE’ IS THE RECIPE OF THE NEW HEAD OF DEPARTMENT The financial year of the Western Cape Department over the emergency unit at the Paarl Hospital to the attitude that they should only of Transport and Public Works ended on 31 March the Department of Health. In Mitchells Plain and do what is agreed to in their job 2011. In 2010/2011, the Department made Khayelitsha construction is on schedule to complete descriptions. Mr Fourie said he significant strides to provide a better life for all in hospitals in those areas. would continue to encourage his the Western Cape, while trying to create an open colleagues and staff members to go society so that all can live lives that they value. The technical skills shortage that is prevalent the extra mile. countrywide is hampering economic growth. Eight The Safely Home Campaign which aims to reduce diesel mechanical apprentices employed by the The highlight of his career was to road deaths by 50 percent by 2014 started in 2009/10 department started their practical training in 2011 be part of the transformation of the and major successes were achieved in 2010/2011. The after completing their foundation phase in 2010. civil service that took place in 1994. campaign focuses on a number of strategies, ranging from tougher actions against those who speed, In September 2010, the public transport business “It was something that only targeting those who drive while drunk, to targeting unit of the department that was based at Goulburn happened once in a lifetime and I drivers of vehicles that are not roadworthy. centre in Goodwood relocated to the Vangate was privileged to have been part of Shared Service Centre in Athlone. Since relocation, it” he said. The department started to name and shame those the staff of the unit received numerous accolades for who had been caught and convicted of driving drunk. improving their service. Mr Fourie joined the civil service It started to play an active role to ensure that users of in the Cape Province in 1970 and A new Head of Department was appointed in Johan Fourie, the Head of Department of the Western Cape Department of Transport railway crossings obey safety rules. The department’s and Public Works. has been employed in the province aim to contribute towards quality education in the December 2010 and through his appointment since then. He listens to U2 and province continued unabated and it built a number of the department and its staff members redirected his favourite dishes are braaivleis primary and secondary schools in 2010. their efforts to provide a quality service by being “After four decades in the civil of staff are trained to become and potjiekos. He is an avid reader accountable and competent, showing integrity and service I am as enthusiastic as competent. of technical magazines that focus Through road construction the department created responding to the needs of those they serve. when I started, straight from on transport and public works. A thousands of jobs. In the process it provided university, to contribute towards His daily objective is to share some strong believer in the benefits of The department will continue to strive for an open motorists and commuters with safe passages to carry the improvement and construction of the knowledge he acquired over technology, Mr Fourie has great opportunity society for all in the Western Cape so them to work and home, and to other destinations. of our country. “ forty years with any staff member, concerns about global warming. that people can live lives that they value. as well as listening to and learning Hundreds of jobs were created through the building This is the view of Mr Johan from them. According to him, He prefers being stuck in a lift with of hospitals. In 2010 the Department handed Fourie, recently appointed Head successful service delivery will only Amy Winehouse, rather than with of Department of the Western happen if all civil servants abandon Tiger Woods or Tony Blair. Cape Department of Transport LATER TRAINS FOR CAPE TOWN SOUTHERN SUBURB COMMUTERS and Public Works. Mr Fourie was appointed in December 2010 after acting for approximately 12 months. He said the successes of his career in the civil service were based on a simple philosophy which is to do the small things right, and with enthusiasm. If you can do that, according to Mr Fourie, the big or difficult things will follow with ease. He said his objective for the next five years was to see that his colleagues and staff perform competently. In his opinion it is On Monday 28 March 2011, Metrorail introduced extended commuter train services between Cape Town and Simon’s Town. The existing afternoon services have been supplemented with three additional trains departing from Cape Town Station. Twenty of these afternoon trains stop at Retreat, eighteen stop at Fish Hoek not enough to expect competent The Western Cape Minister of Transport and Public Works, Robin Carlisle convened a mini and nine operate as far as Simon’s Town. The trains will stop at all stations en route. The six month pilot is collaboration between Metrorail, the Provincial Ministry performance as those who lead summit in 2010 to address accidents at railway crossings. Here Mr. Carlisle is seen stopping of Transport & Public Works and the City of Cape Town. For more information call 0800 65 64 63, or view the time table at www.capemetrorail.co.za. a motorist who ignored safety rules at a railway crossing. (Photo: The Times) should also ensure their members 2 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS 3 _Transport_News_FA.indd 2-3 4/6/11 4:19:19 PM Safely HOME Campaign GETS DIVINE support GOODBYE GOULBURN! HELLO VANGATE SHARED SERVICE CENTRE! Religious leaders from all the major faiths in the Western Cape have endorsed the Safely Home Campaign. The leaders are members of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum (WCRLF). The religious leaders say their different faiths emphasised that all life is sacred and Albert Davids, Mitchells Plain. Xoliswa Lamani, Nyanga. Vanessa van der Walt, Goodwood. that the safety of all South Africans, drivers, passengers and pedestrians is some of Service Delivery at the Provincial type of service is long overdue. • I definitely prefer Vangate. The their greatest concerns. They endorsed Operating Licencing Board (POLB) Travelling from Lakeside service has improved and the the ongoing efforts by the Western Cape at the Vangate Shared Service to Goulburn in Goodwood place is much nicer, not smudgy Department of Transport and Public Works Centre is getting thumbs up! was a tiring journey and the as Goulburn. I live in Goodwood and traffic authorities to counter speeding traffic made it even worse. At and Goulburn was conveniently and drunk driving effectively. They supported Clerics of the major faiths in the Western Cape gave their support to the This was the feeling among clients at Goulburn I often had to wait situated but, in spite of that Department’s Safely Home Campaign. The Western Cape Minister of Transport and the Safely Home’s message, “If you speed or Public, Robin Carlisle (front, second right) with the clerics in Cape Town where they the Athlone Shared Service Centre the whole day to get service as convenience I would still prefer drive drunk, you are a killer” gave their support.