The government is working hard to restore commuter train services, which were halted owing to damage and sabotage by syndicates and opportunistic criminals during the harsh lockdown.
With the successful return of service on the Pretoria-Pienaarspoort line, the Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, has informed the public that efforts are continue to restore train service along all rail lines in the nation.
The reinstatement of services will provide South Africans, who have been significantly affected by the suspension of commuter train service, with access to a safe and dependable public transportation system.
As part of the inauguration of this year’s October Transport Month (OTM) campaign, the Minister travelled from Pienaarspoort in Mamelodi to Pretoria A Station on a new train.
The Pretoria-Pienaarspoort line alone has undergone extensive rebuilding, including the installation of improved signalling systems, updated high-speed circuit breakers, and the use of aluminium wires to prevent copper theft.
The service restarted with the new trains on September 26, 2022, when the Railway Safety Regulator gave its approval.
The Minister said on Monday, “This is in line with our commitment to return to service this year 10 priority corridors. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is on track to rebuild and recovere these commuter rail corridors, three of which are in Gauteng, with an allocated budget of R2.7 billion”.
Due to severe theft and vandalism of the power supply system and other railway infrastructure assets, PRASA in Gauteng was forced to halt the bulk of its electrified train services in Gauteng North and South in December 2019.
This stoppage affected more than two hundred thousand commuters who depend on the commuter train service for their livelihoods.
In April 2021, a plan was devised to restore rail services and train Corridor Recovery Programme between:
- Pretoria to Pienaarspoort,
- Pretoria to Kaalfontein,
- Leralla to Johannesburg, and
- Naledi to Johannesburg
A diesel service was introduced on the Pretoria to Pienaarspoort corridor before it was closed in May 2022 for major rehabilitation works that included refurbishment of substations.
“Our work of recovering rail services is ongoing in all the rail corridors in the country. This includes lines such as the Naledi to Johannesburg. Work is being accelerated to achieve the limited electrified train service in the area,” Mbalula said.
The eight stations, which are being revamped in preparation for service resumption, are New Canada; Mlamulankunzi, Orlando, Nancefield, Kliptown, Midway, Lenz and Tshiawelo.
“Work is currently underway to recover rail services on the Cape Town central line. This entails the relocation of the illegal settlements that are currently on the rail track and reserve.
“We have recently signed a social compact with all the parties that are involved and affected by the situation on the central line, outlining the roles and responsibilities of each party,” the Minister said.
As part of the October Transport Month campaign, government will visit KwaZulu-Natal to assess the progress on rehabilitating infrastructure that was destroyed by the floods. This will include rail and road infrastructure.
The Minister said the department’s work with provinces and municipalities to improve the service offering at Driving Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs) is beginning to bear fruit, with motorists spending less time in queues.
“We have no doubt that services will improve exponentially with the combination of online services, deployment of smart enrolment technology and the new eye test arrangement.
“We are also strengthening measures that will enable us to uproot corruption and impose heavy penalties on those who continue to flout the rules of the road,” the Minister said.
Mbalula emphasised that road safety remains a critical cornerstone in government’s efforts to arrest the carnage on the roads.
“We continue to implement innovative measures that not only ensure that the law bites, but also inculcate responsible behaviour by all road users,” he said.
The National Assembly recently passed the National Road Traffic Amendment Bill, bringing it a step closer to becoming law.
“The strengthening of the regulatory framework, through this amendment bill, will provide us with more instruments to hold the motorists accountable on the road.
“Our work towards classifying traffic policing as a 24-hour, 7-day job is progressing in earnest, with the majority of provinces having taken the required decision,” the Minister said.
The department continues to implement the Taxi Relief Fund, which was created to reduce COVID-19’s effect on the taxi business.
The Minister said that the department is diligently working to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries get funding.