Train factory mooted for KwaZulu-Natal

[Steve Appleton]

From Business Day, 22 February 2012, http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/C ... ?id=165478

Train factory mooted for KwaZulu-Natal.
KwaZulu-Natal plans to investigate establishing a train refurbishment and manufacturing facility to take advantage of President Jacob Zuma’s multibillion-rand infrastructure development programme.

EDWARD WEST
Published: 2012/02/22 07:19:27 AM

KwaZulu-Natal plans to investigate establishing a train refurbishment and manufacturing facility to take advantage of President Jacob Zuma’s multi-billion-rand infrastructure development programme, Premier Zweli Mkhize said yesterday. The province is hoping to create many new sustainable employment opportunities beyond the government’s programme that will see parastatals making large investments in the province, such as Transnet’s development of Durban and Richards Bay ports.

Mr Mkhize said rail investments of more than R5bn over five years were being planned for the province, including a KwaMashu-Umlazi north-south rail corridor and a business express service between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, which was expected to be implemented in April.

At the opening of the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg yesterday, he said the provincial government’s capital budget had risen significantly, to R15bn from R11bn last year. He said the government’s infrastructure spending plans, as outlined in Mr Zuma’s state of the nation address, were "a drastic shift from the way government has worked in the past". These plans would represent investments of R3bn to R8bn for every district, except Uthungulu, uThukela and eThekwini, where a total of R20bn would be spent on special projects.

Blessed Gwala, Inkatha Freedom Party leader of the official opposition in the legislature, said the scope of the new infrastructure delivery, which would include water and electricity supply as well as rail, was "impressive". "But the challenges that have previously resulted in failed, delayed or overpriced projects remain largely unaddressed."

South African Communist Party provincial secretary Themba Mthembu said: "The announcements will go a long way in solving the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality." Mr Mthembu said together with King Goodwill Zwelithini’s plans for a forum to consider ways to unlock the potential of tribal-owned land, they would help to advance the lives of poor people.

Mr Mkhize said government department projects would include the construction and extension of health facilities, and the construction of schools and associated amenities such as 2 000 classrooms, laboratories and electricity for schools. The appointment of a "crack team" to speed capital spending by provincial departments meant by the end of the third quarter, all had spent more than 70% of their budgets, up from 50% before. More than 55 000 work opportunities had been created in the Expanded Public Works Programme in the province over the past year, well up on the target of 32 000. Only 21 500 houses had been built, but a target of 43 000 houses had been set for the new year, Mr Mkhize said.