Transportation
• Transport generates 7.8% of the Free State’s
gross domestic product
• A major logistics hub is planned for Harrismith
Free State province is well served by road and rail links and has four airports – two in or near Bloemfontein, and one each in Bethlehem and Welkom.
Infrastructure
Such is the priority of infrastructure to the Free
State Provincial Government that a decision
was made in 2009 to create a stand-alone
department, the Department of Public Works
and Rural Development. The department will
receive R785.9-million in the 2009/10 financial
year. One of the biggest drivers of the Free State
Provincial Growth and Development Strategy is
infrastructure development. A provincial summit
determined the priorities as:
• Land and human settlements
• Social infrastructure
• Information and communication technology infrastructure
• Economic infrastructure
• Roads and transport
• Engineering services
Most of the projects in the public-works domain are in the R1-million to R5-million bracket. In the 2006/07 budget, 40% of the maintenance, upgrading and capital budget was set aside for achieving broad-based black- economic empowerment objectives, with preference in deciding on contractors and subcontractors being given to historically disadvantaged individuals.
In 2007, the Makwane Roads Construction Project in Phuthaditjhaba(Qua-Qua) won the Kamoso Award, a national award for best project. R52-million has been allocated for the continuation of this project, which is employing people from the local community.
Air transport
Bloemfontein Airport is the province’s major
airport, managed by Airports Company South
Africa. South African Airways, SA Express, SA
Airlink and Mango serve the Free State capital,
which receives a large number of business
visitors. In 2006/07, the airport had 350 000
arrivals. Facilities are shared with Bloemspruit
Air Force Base, which serves the central region,
and the SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service. An
upgrade is planned for the airport as part of
the N8 Corridor development project.
Tempe Airport, 15km north of the city, is privately owned and is used for charter flights, recreational flying and the Bloemfontein Air Show. Airports are also located at Bethlehem and Welkom, and there are a number of airstrips on farms and game reserves.
Road transport
Motor-vehicle licensing provides 42% of the
provincial government’s income, R256-million
in 2009/10. Statistics from 2006 showed
416 027 vehicles registered in the province, of
which 17 645 were heavy vehicles. Despite bus
subsidies that are paid out by the provincial
government, 83% of commuters using public
transport choose taxis as their means
of transport.
The Free State’s central position makes it a very easy province to gain access to, but the number of major national routes that pass through the province put enormous strain on the roads. Some of the country’s busiest routes traverse the province: the N1 (Johannesburg to Cape Town), the N3 (Johannesburg to Durban), the N5 (Durban to Cape Town) and the N8 (Maseru, in Lesotho, to Kimberley).
The trend away from rail freight towards moving goods by truck has put additional pressure on roads. In South Africa today, nearly 80% of freight is transported by road. The province has 6 316km of surfaced roads, 22 100km of secondary gravel roads and 22 000km of tertiary gravel roads. According to the Free State Freight Transport Data Bank, the proportion of poor or very poor roads experienced a sharp increase between 1991 and 2001, from 25% to 67%. This has improved somewhat since then. The 2004 progress report of the Free State Development Plan reported that 41% of all roads were in fairly good to good condition and 59% in poor condition.
A flagship project has been launched as a possible solution. The Harrismith Logistical Hub (HLH) is being driven by the Free State Investment Promotion Agency as part of the national government’s Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative. Harrismith is at the intersection of the N3 and the N5 highways. The road between Durban and Johannesburg is the most busiest long-haul freight-transport corridor in the country.
The intention is to create an inland port that can handle cargo containers and shift cargo from road to rail, thus reducing congestion and costs. The volume of cargo passing through Harrismith is estimated to increase by 25% per annum for the next seven years. Ultimately, the HLH will comprise multimodal capabilities (air, road and rail). A feasibility study and scoping report have already been completed and the next phase (finding a project manager) is under way.
Rail transport
The rail line running from Johannesburg to the
Eastern Cape coastal towns of Port Elizabeth and
East London runs through the Free State, and
there is one line linking South Africa to Lesotho.
Rail provides a vital link for the agricultural, mining and liquid fuels/chemical industries. A total of 2.6 million tonnes of general traffic, including grains, was generated within the province. An additional 1.5 million tonnes of gold-reef ore was carried from Odendaalsrus to Welkom. Nearly 700 000 tonnes of traffic was received into the Free State. This freight consisted mostly of cement, coal, beer, imported grains and containers, some of which was destined for Lesotho.
The national rail operator intends spending in the region of R34-billion over the next five years on extending capacity. Initiatives such as the HLH have the potential to improve freight-flow efficiency and reduce pollution. Private-sector involvement in restoring rail branch lines could help to bring rail back to its former role as the primary mover of freight.
KEY CONTACTS
Air Traffic and Navigation Services:
www.atns.co.za
Airports Company South Africa: www.acsa.co.za
Civil Aviation Authority: www.caa.co.za
Free State Department of Public Works and Rural
Development: www.freetrans.gov.za
National Department of Transport:
www.transport.gov.za
Railroad Association of South Africa: www.rra.co.za
South African National Roads Agency Limited:
www.nra.co.za
