Gqeberha, South Africa, – The Coega Development Corporation (Coega), yesterday, 14 April 2025 , hosted the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA), under the leadership of the Department of Transport (DoT), for the re-launch of the C-BRTA Cross-Alive Road Safety Campaign in the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to promote the safe transportation of passengers and goods during the upcoming Easter period. The event commenced with a Ministerial briefing session at the Bluewater Bay Sunrise Hotel in Gqeberha, followed by a road safety activation along Neptune Road in Zone 1 of the Coega SEZ.
Highlighting the billions lost annually to road accidents, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr. Mkhuleko Hlengwa, urged that road safety is an economic imperative, not just a social responsibility:
“I want to indicate the future sustainability of the country lies in building state capacity through the pooling of expertise and resources, and avoiding duplication of the work that we do. The MoA between C-BRTA and Coega is a step in the right direction. It goes to the heart of self-reliance.
The international landscape currently finds itself under siege, and it is clear that we must be inward looking to ensure sustainability. We need focus on co-responsibility across government and explore revenue streams to sustain the fiscus. Our roads must be seen as economic enablers, and road safety as a priority,” continued Minister Hlengwa.
The CEO of the C-BRTA, Mr. Lwazi Mboyi, emphasised the need to assist government and the larger community with safe roads, especially following the gradual increase in passenger and vehicle movement through the Coega SEZ’s road networks.
The successful campaign follows the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the Coega and the C-BRTA in March 2025 aimed at boosting the competitiveness of the transport sector, enhancing the capabilities of the local workforce through driver training, and improving overall road safety.
Reiterating the value of the partnership between Coega and the C-BRTA, Mr. Chuma Mbande, Executive Manager: Business Development Non-SEZ Programmes, emphasised that road safety initiatives championed by the C-BRTA will be enabled by the logistical infrastructure Coega can establish as an implementing agent:
“Road safety is premised by infrastructure development, which will help alleviate truck congestion. The relationship with C-BRTA has refocused us on road safety, particularly concerning truck traffic through the Coega SEZ. Our MoA targets strategic opportunities within the value chain, for example, refresher training for Code 14 drivers using our simulator and the development of truck stops to combat driver fatigue by providing safe stopping areas,” said Mr. Mbande.
