State of the Nation what Zuma didn't say

South Africa’s transport and logistics infrastructure were largely ignored by president Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation address(Sona) to a much depleted House of Parliament last week. “Although the R26bn investment in road improvement and maintenance is welcomed, it is concerning that transport infrastructure only received a brief mention in the Sona,” says Christelle Grohmann, director: advisory services, Grant Thornton Johannesburg. The Grant Thornton International Business Report found that 62% of private businesses in South Africa were negatively affected by poor government service delivery issues related to road matters in 2014. Zuma listed “transport infrastructure” in the government’s “nine-point plan to ignite growth and create jobs”. Transport is listed in point eight, along with “State reform and boosting the role of state-owned companies, ICT infrastructure or broadband roll out, water, sanitation and transport infrastructure.” He went on to say that the department of transport would spend about R9 billion on the Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant, and R11bn on upgrading and maintaining roads which are not tolled over the next financial year. There was no other mention of roads. Rail did not feature at all, and ports and harbours were obliquely mentioned by Zuma’s emphasis on operation Phakisa, which focuses on supporting growth in the ocean economy. CAPTION Rail did not feature at all, and ports and harbours were obliquely mentioned.