Macozoma plans 'balanced funding portfolio' for road upgrades

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) plans to achieve a "balanced funding portfolio with fuel tax-based revenue and toll income", its newly appointed chairperson Skhumbuzo Macozoma said this week.

By Linda Ensor

22 Dec 2016

Macozoma plans 'balanced funding portfolio' for road upgrades

©wabeno via 123RF

The new inclusive approach was welcomed by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), which has consistently argued that general taxation and, in particular, the fuel levy, was the best way to fund the upgrade of urban freeways.

Macozoma said Sanral would explore "progressive strategies to pursue partnerships with the private sector and civil society to ensure successful national road infrastructure development in the medium to long term."

Outa said this was a "welcome departure" from the adversarial approach of former Sanral CEO Nazir Alli.

Macozoma said Sanral would engage with provincial and municipal governments to ensure that road infrastructure planning was integrated and that Sanral's programmes contributed to regional and local social and economic development. Partnerships with the private sector and civil society would bring certainty with regard to Sanral's borrowing plans and its capital project pipeline, he said.

He warned that deferred investment in maintenance and new roads construction projects would raise costs exponentially in future - the maintenance backlog alone already stands at R197bn, he said.

Source: BDpro

Source: I-Net Bridge

For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.

We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.

Go to: http://www.inet.co.za