Transport Minister Jeff Radebe yesterday said the soccer tournament would serve as a "catalyst for our general transport strategy".

He singled out plans to improve the country's inefficient and crime-infested train network and to scrap old minibus taxis, which are the backbone of the public transport system but also responsible for many of the accidents.

"The measures we are taking will go a long way to mi-nimising accidents in South Africa by 2010," he said.

South Africa envisions the World Cup, one of the most popular sporting events in the world, as a chance to showcase and build on its post-apartheid social and economic gains, not the carnage on roads that are among the most dangerous in the world.

In 2003, 12,353 people were killed in road crashes, according to government figures. Traffic accidents caused 25.3 deaths per 100,000 people compared to 2 per 100,000 in the United States, 1.5 in Britain and 1.2 in Japan.

One child died and 15 were injured in a collision between minibuses taking children to school just outside Cape Town early yesterday.

Minibus drivers who are often racing rival operators have a reputation for driving at high speeds and swerving to stops without warning to pick up passengers.

Radebe told a press conference that a 7.7 billion rand (Dh4.4 billion) government programme to get ageing and unreliable taxis off the roads would start this year.

The aim is to replace unroadworthy taxis with newer vehicles that have proper braking systems, tyres, and seat belts, he said.

Source: gulfnews.com