Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has outlined plans for the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) in the coming financial year. She aims to achieve an 80% recovery of passenger rail corridors and lines while ushering in a modernised passenger train experience for the public.
Chikunga emphasised that during Transport Month, the department’s focus will be on infrastructure, presenting an opportunity to showcase their accomplishments and future plans across all modes of transportation following the challenges posed by the pandemic.
According to The Star, she acknowledged that the restrictions on movement during the pandemic had a detrimental impact on transportation operations in various sectors, with some provinces grappling with severe flood disasters.
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Chikunga officially launched the 18th edition of the October Transport Month campaign in collaboration with South Africa’s MECs of transport, roads, infrastructure, public works and community safety, as well as department entities and stakeholders.
The campaign’s theme is ‘Siyakha: We are building a better transport infrastructure to grow South Africa together.’
Several infrastructures require urgent attention, particularly the rail service, which faced significant disruptions during the COVID-19 period. The interruption of rail services resulted in an increased reliance on road transportation, leading to a surge in accidents.
Chikunga attributed this to the growth in rail freight and passenger transport. Land transport, air transport and transport support services also experienced positive economic growth.
Chikunga highlighted various domestic constraints affecting the economy, including unreliable electricity supply, skills shortages, regulatory uncertainties, market concentration and untransformed markets discouraging new entrants.
She noted that these challenges have been exacerbated by a structural economic crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and a historically slow pace of infrastructure development.
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The minister celebrated Prasa’s achievements in restoring the passenger rail network, positioning it as the future backbone of public transportation while unlocking socio-economic benefits.
She stated that 18 corridors out of the 40 operated by Prasa in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have been recovered, with 230 stations refurbished to basic functionality. Trains are now operational in major cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Ekurhuleni.
Looking ahead, Chikunga mentioned the recent reopening of the Leralla to Germiston line, which brings them closer to running services between the three major Gauteng metros.
Prasa is set to take the spotlight at the International Rail Safety Council (IRSC) conference, where they will present papers on railway safety with a strong emphasis on revitalising passenger rail in South Africa. The IRSC is a global forum known for facilitating discussions and sharing experiences to enhance rail safety worldwide.
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