MINISTER CREECY REPORTS PROGRESS IN TRANSPORT SECTOR TARGETS

The Department of Transport has made remarkable strides in achieving the six key targets it set to transform South Africa’s transport sector, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said this week.

Addressing members of the National Press Club during the official launch of October Transport Month (OTM), Creecy highlighted major progress across rail, road, aviation, and maritime sectors — all aimed at boosting economic growth and improving mobility for citizens.

Creecy said the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) had, by the end of May 2025, successfully revived 35 out of 40 service lines. The agency recorded 77 million passenger journeys in the last financial year and a projected 116 million journeys for the 2025/26 period.

“This goes a long way to ensure our passenger rail system provides safe, reliable, and affordable transport to workers and their families,” Creecy said.
“While our long-term target of 600 million passenger journeys per annum by 2030 remains ambitious, we are firmly on track.”

The minister also reported progress in the freight sector, crediting the Transnet War Room for improvements in performance. Rail tonnage increased by 9 million tons, reaching 161 million tons last year, while containers handled at ports rose by 48,000 TEUs — a 54% increase from the previous year.

“Since July this year, Transnet has been consistently meeting or exceeding its weekly container-handling targets, and there are no longer queues at the port terminals,” Creecy noted.

The department aims to see 250 million tons of freight transported via the Transnet network by 2029, alongside improvements in port efficiency to meet international loading and unloading benchmarks of 30 gross crane moves per hour.

Turning to aviation, Creecy said the department aims to strengthen the sector’s role in tourism and economic development. The target is to move 42 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of air freight through the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) network by the end of the current political term.

“Last year alone, ACSA processed 489,000 tons of air freight and 18.97 million passengers, showing we are well on our way to achieving our 2029 goals,” Creecy said.

On road safety, the minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to reducing the “devastating toll” of road accidents on lives, livelihoods, and the economy. The department aims to cut road fatalities by 45% by 2029, in line with the UN target of halving global road deaths by 2030.

Creecy said preliminary figures up to the end of September 2025 show a 7% drop in road accidents and an 8% reduction in fatalities compared to the previous year. The only exception was Limpopo Province, which recorded a rise in fatalities due to a major crash on the R51 last month.

“Our focus is on prompt implementation and institutional reforms to enhance competitiveness and unlock South Africa’s full potential,” Creecy said.
“These efforts are part of our broader vision for a sustainable and inclusive transport economy.”

The minister said October Transport Month will continue to highlight initiatives that promote safer roads, efficient logistics, and affordable mobility for all South Africans.