Now just two weeks away, the 36th edition of the SATC (Southern African Transport Conference), promises to delight attendees, exhibitors, speakers and students alike.
 
This year’s theme, ‘Southern African Solutions to Public Transport Challenges’ will no doubt provide much food for thought and dish up plentiful dialogue.
 
While the topic will challenge even the most learned of minds, there is little doubt the carefully chosen and distinguished conference speakers will rise to the occasion once again.  
 
On Monday, 10 July 2017, South Africa’s new Minister of Transport, Joe Maswanganyi, will bring government clout to proceedings as he delivers the conference’s opening address.
 
This is not to be missed as he outlines the South African government’s vision and strategy for the Department, which is guided by the National Development Plan (NDP). Key to its efforts will be the eradication of poverty, inequality and unemployment.  
 
Additional government support and involvement will come from MEC Ismail Vadi, who was appointed Member of the Executive Council for Roads and Transport in November 2010, before being reappointed in 2014.
 
Furthermore, SATC 2017 will play host to a number of esteemed local and international plenary speakers.
 
These include noteworthy contributions by Professor Yongli Xie, Dean of the School of Highways at the Chang'an University in Xi’an, China, and Nigel Hardy, former Head of Road Space Management Sponsorship at Transport for London (TfL).
 
Professor Xie, who is highly specialized in the field of geotechnical engineering, will address SATC attendees on Wednesday, 12 July.
 
His research achievements on key techniques of road construction provide important theoretical and technical support for road construction and maintenance, and are of great academic value.
 
Hardy is a business manager with 25 years of experience in local government, 14 of which were spent in a senior management position for TfL.
 
While at TfL, Hardy managed the Project Initiation Team that established and delivered a number of large and complex multidisciplinary transport projects and programmes. He will speak on day two of SATC 2017.
 
SATC bursary beneficiary students will also present their papers on various topics, such as the analysis of transport accessibility in the City of Johannesburg.
 
SATC 2017 runs from 10 - 13 July 2017 at the CSIR Convention Centre in Pretoria.