China visit inspires South African high-speed rail link plan
Sibusiso Ndebele
Inspired by a visit to China  South Africa's Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele is championing the construction of a multibillion-rand  high-speed rail link between the coastal city of Durban and the commercial hub Johannesburg.
 Addressing the media in Cape Town on Tuesday  Ndebele said his interest in a high-speed rail link was heightened by a recent visit to China  which was busy constructing a high-speed rail link between Shanghai and Beijing.
 This led him to the idea about South Africa's national transport master plan until 2050.
 Speaking before his budget vote speech in the South African parliament on Tuesday  Ndebele said that details of the ambitious project were being finalized  and he would ask the South African cabinet in this financial year to approve a feasibility study.
Ndebele said the high-speed rail link between Durban and Johannesburg would cut transport times from about 12 to three hours.
 Speaking before his budget vote speech in the South African parliament on Tuesday  Ndebele said that details of the ambitious project were being finalized  and he would ask the South African cabinet in this financial year to approve a feasibility study.
 Ndebele said a fast link between Durban and Johannesburg would encourage the move from road to rail on what was the country's busiest  most congested route.
 The project would catapult South Africa's rail system into the modern age of hi- tech transport  which Ndebele said was the most efficient mass mover of people.
 Ndebele has proposed a road infrastructure maintenance fund  which would require provincial and local governments to dedicate a certain percentage of their budgets to maintenance  which was usually sacrificed when budgets came under pressure.
 "The current state of our road infrastructure  particularly in provinces and municipalities  is reflective of lack of sustained investment in maintenance over many years " Ndebele said.
 "We will develop a ring-fencing mechanism  which will set aside funds earmarked for maintenance. A passenger rail investment plan will ramp up investment in rail infrastructure and rolling stock."
Inspired by a visit to China  [TGT] is championing the construction of a multibillion-rand  high-speed rail link between the coastal city of Durban and the commercial hub Johannesburg.
 Addressing the media in Cape Town on Tuesday  [TGT] said [TGT] interest in a high-speed rail link was heightened by a recent visit to China  which was busy constructing a high-speed rail link between Shanghai and Beijing.
 This led [TGT] to the idea about South Africa's national transport master plan until 2050.
 Speaking before [TGT] budget vote speech in the South African parliament on Tuesday  [TGT] said that details of the ambitious project were being finalized  and [TGT] would ask the South African cabinet in this financial year to approve a feasibility study.
[TGT] said the high-speed rail link between Durban and Johannesburg would cut transport times from about 12 to three hours.
 Speaking before [TGT] budget vote speech in the South African parliament on Tuesday  [TGT] said that details of the ambitious project were being finalized  and [TGT] would ask the South African cabinet in this financial year to approve a feasibility study.
 [TGT] said a fast link between Durban and Johannesburg would encourage the move from road to rail on what was the country's busiest  most congested route.
 The project would catapult South Africa's rail system into the modern age of hi- tech transport  which [TGT] said was the most efficient mass mover of people.
 [TGT] has proposed a road infrastructure maintenance fund  which would require provincial and local governments to dedicate a certain percentage of [TGT] budgets to maintenance  which was usually sacrificed when budgets came under pressure.
 "The current state of our road infrastructure  particularly in provinces and municipalities  is reflective of lack of sustained investment in maintenance over many years [TGT] said.
 "We will develop a ring-fencing mechanism  which will set aside funds earmarked for maintenance. A passenger rail investment plan will ramp up investment in rail infrastructure and rolling stock."