Finance minister Pravin Gordhan says his 2011 budget “expands investment in modernising our infrastructure and transport logistics”. Consolidated government transport spending will amount to R66 billion next year, rising to R80 billion by 2013/14. This includes R3.8-billion for maintenance of the coal haulage road network, financed from the increased levy on electricity collected from Eskom, and an additional R1.5 billion to provinces for road maintenance and weighbridges. In total, government will invest R800 billion over the next three years on new power stations, road networks, dams and water supply pipelines, rail and ports facilities, schools, hospitals and government buildings. Major projects under way include the Medupi power station, which will generate 4 700 MW at a projected investment cost of R125- billion, the R23-billion Transnet multi-product pipeline “which will secure our inland fuel supplies,” and “the R21-billion freeway improvement scheme, which has already significantly eased congestion on Gauteng roads,” he said.
