The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) at the recent re-opening of the Leralla-Germiston line announced that it has spent over R2.1 billion on recovering rail infrastructure in Gauteng to date.
This has resulted in the state-owned entity rehabilitating a total of 18 corridors from desolate states brought about by crime and vandalism, with seven of these corridors now operational in Gauteng using the new Electrical Motor Units, said transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga.
For the most recent overhaul of the Leralla-Germiston line, which first ran commercially on 6 July and now carries 10,000 people daily, Prasa spent just under R600 million.
Around R28 million of this went into refurbishing the six stations the train stops at – Leralla, Limindlela, Tembisa, Kempton Park, Rhodesfield, and Germiston – another R292 million was spent on fixing the overhead cables that power the train, and R276 million went into repairing the substations with another R44 million allocated specifically to the restoration of the Elandsfontein substation.
More work is in progress to extend the service from Germiston all the way to Johannesburg Park Station, with a total budget of R130 million allocated to this endeavour.
During the Leralla-Germiston project, Prasa created 191 jobs for local citizens, including employing three women with disabilities, 15 under the age of 35, and 21 over the age of 35. Four small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) from closeby communities also benefited from it.
Security measures at train stations in Gauteng and along railways have also been sharpened up, said Chikunga.
Prasa now employs 286 “Peace Officers” who have the power to arrest and are trained in criminal and general law, in addition to Protection Officers who provide armed response, platform marshalling, and CCTV monitoring amongst other tasks.
Their deployment areas include onboard the trains, staging yards, and rail infrastructure, and they are supported by the SAPS Railway Police and Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department.
The outcome of this is that Prasa has seen a noticeable reduction of 75% in security-related incidents in its operating environment.
“Our interventions to restore urban passenger rail services aim to ensure that the return of passenger rail to the city is sustainable,” said Chikunga.
“The plans are part of our wider strategy to improve passenger rail services across South Africa and make rail a safe, reliable, and affordable mode of transport.”
Minister Chikunga riding the Leralla-Germiston line at the re-opening on 28 August
Informal economy an important consideration
With the rebuilding of the country’s ailing rail network, Chikunga said it’s important for Prasa that the informal economy benefits from the railway stations and the access they provide.
The increased patronage numbers can support the sustainable livelihoods of many informal traders as well as commuters who rely on this affordable mode of transport
“The Germiston station is one of our biggest intermodal facilities in Gauteng, with taxis and buses feeding into the station, thus supporting a vibrant informal economy where informal traders can ply their trade and sell their wares to passengers and people from surrounding areas,” said Chikunga.
“The micro-economic activities at the Germiston station clearly demonstrate the role of intermodal facilities in providing transport solutions, convenience, accessibility, and economic opportunities.”
There are already plans in place to regain foot traffic at Prasa stations, which include the rebuilding of critical stops, as well as a national resignaling programme that will increase the frequency of trains while ensuring safe passage for all.
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