Implementation of the Green Transport Strategy will be a priority for South Africa’s new Department of Transport, said Minister Barbara Creecy addressing parliament during the department’s budget vote on Monday, July 15.

Creecy outlined a strategy aimed at modernising the country’s transport infrastructure while tackling longstanding challenges that have plagued the sector.

“Climate change, as we have seen over the last couple of years, poses a significant risk to our built infrastructure in general and our transport infrastructure in particular. Building the climate resilience of our ports, road and rail networks is both a necessity and a new opportunity for investment,” Creecy said.

Contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in all modes of transport will become necessary once the new Climate Bill is signed into law, she added. “Our transport sector is responsible for approximately one tenth of our country’s carbon emissions and we will have to do our bit to achieve the target of net zero by 2050.”

The department’s Green Transport Strategy includes investing in green energy infrastructure, promoting the uptake of alternative fuels such as biogas and green hydrogen, extending the rail network to provide alternative public transport and developing “green procurement guidelines” to promote low-carbon technologies.

Creecy also emphasised the role of digital technologies in revolutionising the transport sector, including operational automation and real-time tracking of shipments to assist in port management, digital signalling to modernise the management of railway systems, the use of artificial intelligence in traffic management and the introduction of self-driven vehicles and drones for delivery.

“New technologies and new global imperatives will fundamentally alter the skills requirements of those employed in the transport sector as well as open up new value chains for new forms of economic access, ownership and employment,” she said.