Alec Moemi has been named as the new Director-General of the Department of Transport (DoT), with Minister Fikile Mbalula saying his appointment is crucial for stability, accountability and staff morale.
The department has been without a director-general since May 2016, after the suspension and passing of former DG Godfrey Selepe.
“I have asked the new DG to immediately prioritise issues that impact on the department’s employees and the filling of critical vacancies, 21 of which are senior management posts and include 6 Deputy DG vacancies,” Mbalula said at a media briefing in Parliament Wednesday.
Moemi will also focus on addressing challenges at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and the highly controversial and emotive e-tolls project.
Alec Moemi has been a member of various youth organisations and active in many youth initiatives. He holds a B Juris degree from the UNW and a Master’s degree in Political Governance and Transformation from the University of the Free State. He was previously employed as the National Administrator for the ANC Youth League. Thereafter, he served was manager of strategic partnerships for the Umsobomvu Youth Fund. Moemi’s career path has taken him to the Office of the Premier in the Free State Provincial Government where he worked as chief director responsible for special programmes and inter-governmental relations. As the new director-general of Transport, he is firmly behind the wheel to drive South Africa’s transport needs.
Cabinet has tasked Mbalula, Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni with finding a solution for e-tolls by the end of August.
“We remain seized with the matter of the funding of the first phase of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project and the matter of the e-tolls. We are confident that we will meet the end of August deadline,” Mbalula said.
Moemi reacted to his new appointment by saying that he walks into a big department with several challenges. “We are aware of the mandate and priorities the minister demands,” he said.
Mbalula restated that passenger safety remains a priority for his department. “Passenger safety is sacrosanct, and we will not tolerate behaviour that places the lives of innocent women and children and other commuters at risk,” the minister said.
Mbalula also announced plans to directly in-source 80% of security personnel at PRASA. He wants officers to be trained by SAPS, and said he has discussed this with police minister Bheki Cele.
The transport minister also announced that his department will be operationalising Integrated Public Transport Networks (BRT) across Mbombela, eThekwini, Rustenburg, Polokwane and Mangaung over the next nine months.
Mbalula added that the assets of Swifambo, the now liquidated contractor behind the procurement of PRASA locomotives that sparked much controversy, will go under the hammer in September this year.
