​Rofhiwa Marubini
The success of the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has created a new momentum for the development of the Gauteng-Eastern Cape Freight Rail Corridor which will be fully operational by 2025. 
This was announced by Premier David Makhura during the State of the Province Address at the Gauteng Legislature on Tuesday. 
The development will facilitate a swift movement of goods out of the Gauteng City Region SEZs, industrial parks and agri-parks, including the much higher volumes of vehicles from Silverton and Rosslyn to the seaports for export. 
Premier Makhura said: “By allowing one thing to work we have given the momentum to other projects to work as well as to increase public confidence in state owned enterprises to unlock opportunities and move goods produced in this part to other parts of the country, continent and the world.” 
“If you are producing goods and services in Gauteng, you need to move your products to other parts, we can’t only move them to one part, we must have routes which will help us to catalyse the Tambo-springs logistic hub,” said Makhura. 
The provincial government made a commitment to construct and rehabilitate 18 arterial roads to integrate and improve the movement of people, goods and services in the province. 
The construction and rehabilitation of roads will assist in unlocking of investment in different areas. 
“We have now aligned the building of all the new roads to our economic reconstruction and recovery plan to unlock the investment in various corridors and districts,” said Premier Makhura. 
To address the unacceptable and costly delays in road construction, the provincial government has established dedicated technical capacity. 
Premier Makhura also announced that although the purchase of additional coaches for the Gautrain had been discontinued due to the downward trend in demand, the plan for the expansion of the Gautrain to the Eastern, Western and Southern parts of the province continues. 
The establishment of Gauteng Transport Authority is taking the province closer to the single, integrated, inter-modal, reliable, safe and affordable public transport system across the Gauteng City Region. 
“We will have a single ticket for all modes of transport in Gauteng by the end of this financial year,” said Premier. 
Premier Makhura showed his satisfaction on the completion of Phase 2 of N14 and R28.​