The Department of Transport derives its mandate from the Constitution, National Land Transport Act, National Road Traffic Act, White Paper of Sustainable Transport and other relevant legislations.
The Department as envisaged in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, 1993 (Act 200 of 1993) replaced by the 1996 Act, (Act 108 of 1996), is responsible for maximizing the contribution of transport to the economic and social development goals of the society by providing fully integrated transport operations and infrastructure.
The Department executes its responsibilities through five (5) programme i.e. Administration, Transport Infrastructure, Transport Operations, Transport Regulation and Community Development.
In addition to this, the Department has two entities; Mayibuye Transport Corporation (MTC) which is listed as a Schedule 3D of the Public Finance Management Act, No. 1 of 1999. Established in terms of the Ciskeian Corporation Act 18 of 1981, MTC is a parastatal bus operation, providing passenger services in the Amathole District and parts of the Chris Hani District Municipality. At the center of its operations is the provision of affordable bus passenger service to the predominantly rural communities.
The second entity is the Government Fleet Management Trading Entity which was established as through a Cabinet Resolution and derives its mandate from Treasury Regulation 19. The entity is responsible for procuring vehicles on behalf of the Eastern Cape Government, administration of the government fleet, repair and maintenance of vehicles, disposal of obsolete fleet, develop and monitor implementation of fleet management strategies amongst others.