Main appropriation budget debate speech 2025/26
Speaker
Deputy Speaker
Premier
Cabinet colleagues
Leader of the Opposition
Honorable Members of this House
Guests in the gallery
Members of the media
Molweni, goeie middag, good afternoon.
Freedom Month is significant to our country’s young democracy.
It is a time to reflect on the gains of the past 31 years while looking at opportunities that lie ahead.
Specifically, the importance of accessible and equitable transportation for all residents.
Speaker, mobility is a basic human right and the lifeblood of the Western Cape economy.
It is how people get to work, schools, hospitals, places of worship, connect with loved ones and how our goods move from production to market.
During the 2025 State of the Province Address in my hometown, Beaufort West, the Premier made a clarion call to everyone to step up.
As the Department of Mobility, we are doing exactly that!
With this budget we are stepping up for the economy and for all residents of our beloved province.
I am therefore humbled that we have been entrusted with a R3.2 Billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year to further advance mobility – thank you Minister Baartman and your team for this allocation.
We are putting our money where our mouth is!
This budget is a testament of this government’s commitment to enhancing mobility across our province, promoting inclusivity, supporting economic growth, and ensuring that we continue to build a just and equitable society for all.
Speaker, as we continue to grapple with the mobility challenges faced by our province, our delivery plan is underpinned by our vision of connecting people, goods and institutions.
On such key challenge is congestion!
Cape Town is now positioned as the 9th most congested city in the world, with commuters losing an average of 94 hours per year due to congestion!
This is why everything we do, is geared toward changing the current landscape.
We are elevating the need for an efficient public transport system and are in the process of finalising our Draft Provincial Land Transport Framework (PLTF).
The PLTF serves as a strategic guide for land transport planning and has a long-term view to address the province’s unique mobility challenges.
In the coming weeks we will be embarking on a public participation process to invite comments from our residents and partners.
Public Transport 2025/26 Budget and Priorities:
While the PLTF process is underway, we need to address the current challenges in public transport.
Public transport deeply influences our daily lives and is very close to my heart.
A functional public transport system is not just a convenience - it is the cornerstone of economic growth, social inclusivity, and sustainability.
Speaker, a functional public transport system encompasses passenger rail as the backbone while being supported and complemented by bus services, the minibus taxis, e-hailing taxis and non-motorized transport.
All these modes of public transport are vital for daily commuting.
It is for this reason that the bulk of our budget is geared toward public transport solutions for commuters.
George Intergrated Public Transport Network (GIPTN):
The George Intergrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) continues to be a trailblazer as the first and only IPTN in a non-metro area.
The Go George bus service conducts nearly 21,000 daily passenger trips and covers 75% of households in George.
This is an astounding achievement!
Therefore, we are committing an additional R83 million to advance the rollout of Phase 4A of the project. This is the remaining route that will connect Thembalethu to the George CBD.
Due to the success of the service, the National Department of Transport has made an indicative investment of a further R250 Million to advance the project.
This service is more than just transport - it is a catalyst for economic growth and job creation in this region.
By investing in infrastructure and services like Go George, we are laying the foundation for a thriving economy that serves the needs of our communities.
Intertown Rural Transport Solutions:
Now focussing on the Central Karoo - one of our underdeveloped districts, R4 Million will be allocated toward an Intertown Rural Transport Solution.
This solution seeks to strengthen collaboration with the mini-bus taxi operators to connect citizens to social, education and health services.
Golden Arrow Bus Service:
For the 2025/26 financial year, R1.3 Billion has been allocated by National from the PTOG to manage and monitor the Golden Arrow Bus Service (GABS).
The bus service carries around 230 000 passengers per day from townships such as Mbekweni, Wellington, Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Mitchells Plain, Elsies River, Eerste River, Strand, Grassy Park to name a few - to access socio-economic opportunities at a subsidised rate.
Mini-bus taxi industry:
Speaker, the mini-bus taxi industry continues to operate throughout the Western Cape and provides approximately 1.5 million passenger trips per day.
The industry’s financial operating model is not economically viable, which leads to many challenges including the rampant violence and intimidation tactics amongst operators.
It is against this background that my department has set aside R 9.2 million to directly support the industry through a financial agreement.
Most importantly, R2 Million of this funding will be used for training interventions, conflict resolution initiatives including mediation and professionalisation programmes.
Since its inception, the Mini-Bus Taxi Task Team has been making remarkable progress.
The engagements are robust at time, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Transforming the industry into a safer and more efficient transport option for commuters is pivotal.
Passenger Rail:
Speaker, now turning our attention to passenger rail – the backbone of public transport.
Passenger rail is vital to the public transport system in the Western Cape, serving as a lifeline for countless residents and a foundation for sustainable urban growth.
It offers an affordable mode of transportation, especially for low-income communities, connecting them to economic opportunities, education, and essential services.
I am therefore encouraged by how PRASA’s Recovery Plan is faring.
The recovery plan focusses on restoring and improving passenger rail services, particularly on the Central Line, which has been severely affected by vandalism, cable theft, and illegal encroachments.
Most notably is the recent testing operations at the Khayelitsha branch line.
This morning, PRASA carried out testing operations to Chris Hani with passengers.
Once the testing operations are approved by the Rail Safety Regulator, we will see the entire Khayelitsha branch line running from Chris Hani to Cape Town.
This is a great win for the province and mostly for the residents of Khayelitsha, who were left with limited public transport options for more than 5 years.
In my recent engagements with PRASA, I have been advised that the full operation of this strategic line is imminent.
The next line on PRASA’s Recovery Plan is the Kapteinsklip line that runs from Mitchells Plain.
When both lines are fully operational, this will be an astounding win for commuters.
While we continue to advocate for the devolution of passenger rail to a capable local state, we are working together with PRASA to get passenger rail to its former glory.
Speaker, I am delighted to announce that we are currently in discussions with PRASA to formalise our working relationship through a Memorandum of Understanding.
Speaker, strategic partnerships are essential to address challenges and improve the mobility system.
Non-motorised transport:
Non-motorized transport remains a focal area for the Department.
NMT is particularly significant in the rural areas as it complements existing public transport options.
Our successful bicycle distribution programme continues to change lives across the province, and most notably in the rural areas such as Malmesbury, Beaufort West, Merweville, Nelspoort and Overstrand.
We are therefore making a further investment of R1 million towards this programme to distribute 400 bicycles to the most deserving schools, neighbourhood watches, NGOs and small businesses.
Freight and logistics network:
Speaker, for the Western Cape economy to thrive and grow at an acceptable rate, we need an efficient freight and logistics network.
To support freight and logistics, R 8 million has been allocated over the MTEF to the Freight Rail Revitalization Framework, R2 Million will be allocated in the 2025/26 financial year.
I am therefore excited to announce that in the current financial year, we will be embarking on a process of developing a business case to revitalize Overberg Freight Rail.
We are stepping up for the economy!
The business case is a strategic initiative aimed at revitalizing freight rail, focusing on reconnecting the agricultural region of Caledon with the Belcon Inner Terminal in Bellville and the Port of Cape Town.
This corridor is critical for the movement of agricultural commodities, including barley, canola, wheat, and other grains, which form the backbone of the Overberg’s economic activities.
Last week, both the Premier and Minister Meyer welcomed the recent strategic move by Minister Creecy to initiate the first phase of the Requests for Interest (RFI).
This process congruently supports the strategic intent of Operation Vulindlela and Transnet’s vertical separation process.
This is a positive step in rail reform at actualizing the commitments made in the Roadmap for Freight Logistics and the White Paper on National Rail Policy.
It sends the right signals to the economy on the much-needed efficiencies in the logistics network.
Speaker, as the Department of Mobility, we will take our rightful place in this process by being at the forefront of all developments.
Traffic Management:
Speaker, road safety remains a critical concern, as we are losing too many lives on our roads.
Particularly, pedestrians and children remain our most vulnerable road-users.
As a signatory to the UN Decade of Action with the objective of reducing road fatalities and injuries by 50 percent by 2030 – we need to do more.
To complement our world-class 24/7 traffic law enforcement service, we will continue to rollout the Road Safety Ambassador programme with an allocation of R2 Million for the 2025/26 financial year.
The Ambassadors will continue to be deployed in the identified hotspot areas where most pedestrian fatalities are recorded.
This project is an example of communities taking responsibility for their own road safety while providing job opportunities to young people.
Speaker, it was concerning that we had to temporarily suspend the programme last year, as our ambassador’s fell victim to extortion.
Our Provincial Traffic team will be allocated with R 46 million for fleet operational costs and associated services.
A further R57 million will be allocated to Provincial Traffic for specialized skills and technology.
Technology and data:
As a data-driven government, we will allocate R113 million toward the award-winning Intergrated Transport Hub.
The Integrated Transport Hub (IT Hub) is a sophisticated technology and systems engine that supports service delivery.
With over 30 projects carried out by the Hub, we continue to strengthen all elements of mobility and delivery including public transport, freight and road safety.
Government Motor Transport:
Before I conclude, the Western Cape Government Motor Transport (‘GMT’), our Trading Entity does not receive any equitable share from the fiscus and is therefore self-funded.
GMT’s total budget estimate for 2025/26 is R 1.7 billion.
From this allocation, R 60 million will be utilized to develop a pipeline for electric vehicle infrastructure.
This partnership supports the province’s commitment to enabling New Energy Vehicle adoption within the government fleet, beginning with a focused rollout at selected sites.
As a government leader in systems and applications, GMT will allocate R50 million towards the development of another regional HUB - envisaged for Vredenburg in the West Coast.
Both programmes will be rolled out in partnership with the Department of Infrastructure.
This allocation supports the Just Transition process of decarbonizing our government fleet.
Speaker, I am proud to announce that we have completed the feasibility study on introducing electric minibus taxis and ready to pilot this programme at an operational setting.
Once again, we are stepping up for the economy and our residents!
Conclusion:
Speaker, the budget presented today reflects the goals of our government in ensuring that we create a mobility ecosystem that is responsive to the needs of the people, while laying the foundation for the future.
Through strategic partnerships and bold investments in public transport, freight and road safety, we are laying the foundation for a mobility system that works for everyone.