Pretoria - Transport Minister, S'bu Ndebele, says government has invested more than R19 billion rand on public transport infrastructure for the World Cup to ensure that the tournament leaves a rich legacy for the country and continent.
Speaking at the opening of the new Central Terminal Building at OR Tambo International Airport yesterday, Ndebele said the department was ready to provide reliable, safe and secure, convenient and affordable transport to spectators attending matches.
"Special dedicated trains and buses will be deployed to ferry fans to the respective stadiums across the country. A multi-disciplined operational team is currently working on the issue of train delays in certain areas," he said.
Ndebele said the R23 billion Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP), which is one of the largest such projects to date, is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. He added that all outstanding construction work will be suspended for the duration of the World Cup and will not result in any adverse impact on traffic movement between World Cup venues.
"On completion, the network will provide an interconnected freeway system of inner and outer ring roads, including high occupancy vehicle lanes that will contribute to the reduction of congestion," he said.
He added that traffic law enforcement will be deployed on identified routes with high traffic volumes as well as routes leading to and from host cities, airports, hotels, stadia, fan parks, public viewing areas and other places of interest.
Meanwhile, Ndebele said the opening of the new terminal highlighted the country's world-class airport infrastructure.
He said the Cape Town International Airport has also undergone a complete transformation and boasts a common-use central terminal with vastly improved retail and food beverage offerings, additional parking bays as well as a significantly improved road network.
In Durban, the new King Shaka Airport will be operational from May 1 and will be officially opened on May 8 by President Jacob Zuma.
