A briefing from the Financial & Fiscal Commission (FFC) to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature confirms what the Democratic Alliance (DA) has been saying – without an affordable railway network and without properly maintained road infrastructure, the provincial economy cannot achieve the growth and development needed to drive real job creation.
The FFC cautioned that poverty levels are increasing in all districts, with grants a bigger source of income for households than salaries. The Northern Cape is one of three provinces where agricultural production is concentrated, with further opportunities in mining and renewable energy. But we cannot reap the full benefits of our natural riches without investing in public infrastructure and creating the road, rail, and port network needed to link prospective workers with economic opportunities.
Over the past three months, I’ve visited various railway stations in the province. What used to be bustling economic centres are now merely ghost hubs of lost economic chances, with the increasing load of freight trucks on the road causing more difficulty for local motorists.
We do not need to reinvent the wheel to reinvigorate our railways and to drive meaningful local economic growth. We need to speed up the concession of freight rail lines to capable private operators through transparent and competitive tendering processes that identifies the best partners for growth. We also need to modernise, upgrade and maintain rail infrastructure, with strict law enforcement to protect our essential infrastructure. This must go hand-in-glove with a comprehensive review of South Africa’s tariff regime to lower input costs for manufacturers and exporters.
The time for endless talk is over. South Africa’s economy is in crisis, and it is time for urgent action to fix our economy and create jobs.