Intermodal transportation perspectives in South Africa: a case study of its application within the Gauteng Province and lessons learned for other metropolitan areas

Abstract

Gauteng Province is located in the northern part of the South African national spatial system and is bordered by the Free State, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces. It is the smallest geographically of all the provinces, but the largest in terms of population and its contribution to the country’s GDP. Originally, Gauteng Province developed on the wealth of gold (40% of the world’s reserves). The economy has since diversified to more sophisticated sectors, such as finance, manufacturing, transport and telecommunications. It forms the economic engine of the Southern African region and the gateway to doing business in the rest of Africa. The study area is the smallest of the nine provinces, but contributes more than 30% to the national economy and 10% to the African economy. Due to the locational factors the study area is currently fulfilling a primary role in the growth and development of the national economy and its spatial development. This also applies to development within the Africa continental spatial system. The Gauteng Provincial Government in 2013 published the Gauteng Integrated Transport Master Plan (GITMP). In this plan consideration is given to the promotion of intermodal transportation development. The purpose of this paper is to assess the intermodal transport perspectives within the Gauteng Province and to relate it to the strategies as formulated in the National Development Plan (2012) for NATMAP 2050 for the national spatial system. The paper focuses on the use of specific planning and development instruments to promote sustainable transportation planning and development. It’s guiding giving influence and impacts on intra traffic movements through process linkages and alignment between strategy and implementation approaches are investigated. The findings will serve as a guideline to follow in application of similar strategy, planning and implementation approaches within other provincial spatial systems.