Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has hailed government for the recovery of yet another commuter rail corridor between Pienaarspoort and Pretoria.
Speaking during the October Transport Month launch in Pretoria this morning, Mbalula said this is in line with their commitment to return to service this year 10 priority corridors.
He said Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) was on track in rebuilding and recovering these commuter rail corridors, three of which are in Gauteng with an allocated budget of R2.7 billion.
Mbalula showcased the revitalisation, resumption and successes of the Rail Corridor Recovery Programme that was instituted by Prasa in April 2021.
Prasa executed the programme with the intention to recover train services and corridors following vandalism on rail passages such as Pretoria and Pienaarspoort, Pretoria to Kaalfontein, Leralla to Joburg, and Naledi to Joburg.
This suspension affected in excess of 200 000 commuters who rely on the commuter rail service for their livelihoods.
He said a diesel service was introduced on the Pretoria to Pienaarspoort corridor before it was closed in May for major rehabilitation works, that included refurbishment of sub-stations.
Mbalula said the service that they officially launched resumed with the new trains on September 26, following approval by the Railway Safety Regulator.
“Today we are here to celebrate this achievement with South Africans who have been severely impacted by the suspension of commuter rail services in this corridor. Our work of recovering rail services is ongoing in all the rail corridors in the country. This includes lines such as the Naledi to Joburg. Work is being accelerated to achieve the limited electrified train service in the area,” Mbalula said.
He said the eight stations which were being revamped in preparation for service resumption are New Canada; Mlamulankunzi, Orlando, Nancefield, Kliptown, Midway, Lenz and Tshiawelo.
“Work is currently under way 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,” he said.
Mbalula said the department 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.
He said as part of October Transport Month campaign, they would visit KwaZulu-Natal to assess the progress on rehabilitating infrastructure that was destroyed by the floods. This will include rail and road infrastructure.
“Road safety remains a critical cornerstone in our efforts to arrest the carnage on our 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.
Mbalula said their work with provinces and municipalities to improve the service offering at Driving Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs) was 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,” Mbalula said.
He said the department was still reeling from the UPhongola crash that claimed 20 lives two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, there was a multi-vehicle accident on the N1 north before the Buccleuch Interchange, three lanes (were) closed and traffic was backed up with delays of more than 45 minutes this morning, just before Mbalula launched Transport Month.