The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Senzo Mchunu,

Minister of Transport, Ms Dipuo Peters,

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli,

Honourable MECs,

Mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Councillor James Nxumalo

Chairman of PRASA Board, Mr Sifiso Buthelezi and Management,

Leadership of Trade Unions, SA Commuter and local civic organisations,

Mphakathi wase-Nanda, kwaMashu ne-Ntuzuma,

We greet you all in this important occasion of celebrating development and progress.

 

Next year our country will be celebrating 20 years of freedom and democracy. We will be celebrating 20 years of working steadily, day by day, to build this country, and ensure that there is visible development in every community.

 

We are able to say today that South Africa is a much better place today than it was before 1994. It is also a much better place than it was five years ago, because each year we ensure that more activities take place that improve the quality of life.

We are happy today to be with you here, to celebrate this major development.

Rail plays an important role in the daily mobility needs of ordinary people.  Many people in Durban, Gauteng and other places use rail transport. Metrorail trains carry about 30 000 people a day and about 256 million passengers a year.

 

Over the past five years government has invested over R40 billion in passenger rail infrastructure and services in South Africa.

Today we are able to celebrate the launch of a major rail infrastructure project.

We are happy because we have prioritized infrastructure development as government. It is so important that it has been centralized in the Presidency, the Office of the President, so that we can coordinate and monitor progress.

 

Government is working in every corner of the country to build dams, roads, power stations, schools, hospitals and other major projects that will boost economic growth, improve the quality of life and create jobs.

I announced the formation of the central body to coordinate these projects in Parliament last year, the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission.

It has done well in ensuring that all spheres of government – national, provincial and local, work together to boost infrastructure development in every corner of the country.

It is with great pleasure therefore, that today we are able celebrate the launch of this 3.5 km and R1.3 billion Bridge City Rail Link.

 

The new Bridge City station, which includes a bus and taxi interchange, is the largest rail infrastructure development project in the Durban area.

Being only 17 kilometres from the Durban city centre, the Bridge City Centre brings together the communities of Phoenix and Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu and links them into the urban system.

It serves as the social and commercial centre to an area housing a population of over 800 000 people, who at present have generally poor access to facilities and social services.

 

Bridge City is thus a catalyst for economic growth and the empowerment of surrounding communities.

It improves their access to public transport and opportunities to work, travel, shop and do business.

This development contributes to fulfilling our dream of creating proper human settlements in which people have easy access to all facilities.

This is why we say this wonderful development is part of the celebration of freedom as it contributes to improving the quality of life of our people.

 

Ladies and gentlemen

 

Since rail is the future backbone of our public transport system, government will over the next few years invest over R50 billion in passenger rail infrastructure and services.

We have already proven our commitment to investing in public transport.

 

Over the past four years, we have bought more than 6 984 new train coaches or wagons and more than 338 locomotives, many of which are now being manufactured locally to create jobs and expand industrial capacity.

We will continue to invest in rail as it is affordable.  Over the past five years government has invested over R40 billion in passenger rail infrastructure and services in South Africa.

This included R23 billion in the Gautrain project and almost R13 billion on rehabilitating train coaches and the signaling system.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

Let me reiterate that we are happy to expand rail services and to bring them closer to the people. Prior to 1994 we did not have trains running up and town across cities and residential areas.

Today we have trains that cut across residential areas and cities making it easy for commuters to travel.  This is part of the developments that come with living in a free democratic society, a freedom that many fought for and sacrificed for.

I urge all of you to utilize these services that are being unveiled today and to look after them. We will continue as government to roll out these infrastructure projects, but we need your support to look after them, they are a national resource.

 

We urge you to look after the trains and all facilities.

If trains belong to government, it means that they belong to you, as this is your government. We cannot and should not therefore burn trains just because we are angry that they have come late.

We are pleased that protests, which are permitted in the Constitution of the Republic, take place peacefully in most communities.

 

Ladies and gentlemen

 

We are happy to be with you indeed in this historic precinct, the area that was home to John Langalibalele Dube, Mahatma Gandhi and Isaiah Shembe.

It is my honour and pleasure to declare the Bridge City Rail link officially open.

I thank you.