Over a
million fans, officials and athletes are set to travel to South
Africa in mid-2010. Not only will all these people need to come
into the country but they will need to travel when they are in
the country. In addition to attending games and other 2010
related events, many visitors will be touring other parts of the
country and region beforehand and afterwards.
Many
people feel that successful transportation planning will be a
crucial element of the games success. To meet this challenge,
the Local Organizing Committee has appointed a new Transportation
Manager, a senior official seconded from the National
Department of Transport.
The South African government has also put central funding at the disposal of municipal governments to assist them in transport upgrades: the Public Transit Infrastructure & Systems Grant (PTIS). The overall PTIS budget is $1.3 billion between 2006/7 and 2009/10. Examples of spending allocation by type of transport are: $188 million for rail and $118 million for Bus Rapid Transit.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will be a key area of focus for new spending not just via the central fund but also by municipalities where the Cup games will be hosted. Any companies involved in BRT-related areas are encouraged to contact Commercial Service South Africa for more detailed information on upcoming opportunities.
All
tenders are being judged on the basis of planning for not just
the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup but also for the longer term
transport needs of the country. South Africa has experienced
steady growth in the decade plus since its democratic
transformation (for example, 14% in the construction sector) and
both passenger cars and heavy vehicle traffic have increased
substantially. In order to facilitate future economic
development, transport infrastructure is needed.
The U.S. Commercial Service in South Africa is prepared to assist U.S. firms interested in the transport sector. To discuss opportunities in greater detail please contact Johan van Rensburg, Commercial Specialist at Johan.van.Rensburg@mail.doc.gov or at +27 11 778-4815.
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