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Public Transport News

Minister officially launched Transport month campaign

14th October 2022 The National Department of Transport put rail at the centre stage during this year’s October Transport Month campaign launch. During the official launch of the 2022 October Transport Month campaign, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula showcased the revitalisation, resumption and successes of the... →

Pandemic’s shadow hangs over rail sector

By: Nadine Ramdass 14th October 2022 A significant challenge the rail sector currently faces is reinstating its services following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) CEO Tshepo Kgare. During the pandemic, railway infrastructure was significantly damaged by vandalism and theft. →

AN image of Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) CEO Tshepo Kgare

TSHEPO KGARE The railway network has seen very marginal improvement over the years despite the decrease in the extent of services provided

PRASA a 'total rebuild', not a recovery process – strategy GM

By: Irma Venter 11th October 2022 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is being totally rebuilt, says PRASA strategy GM Anna-Marie Lubbe. “We are hard at work rebuilding PRASA. It is not a recovery, it is not a rehabilitation [process] – it is a total rebuild.” →

Partnership formed to grow Gauteng on the Move

By: Donna Slater 11th October 2022 The Gauteng Transport Authority (GTA) is partnering with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to broaden its ability to gather data on the public transport sector in Gauteng. This forms part of the authority’s endeavour to improve the use of public transport, as well as the... →

An image of the CSIR and GTA signing an MoU

Photo by Creamer Media
A representative of the CSIR joins GTA CEO Jack van der Merwe in signing the memorandum of understanding to bolster research to grow the Gauteng on the Move initiative.

Court orders govt to draft action plan to stop Intercape attacks

By: Irma Venter 10th October 2022 A judgment handed down by the Makhanda High Court on Friday [October 7] found that Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula and his Eastern Cape counterpart have failed to fulfil their legal obligation with regards to stopping the attacks on long-distance coach company Intercape. Intercape turned to the... →

Image of an Intercape bus after it was attacked

High Court compels EC transport MEC, Minister to act on Intercape safety issues

By: Marleny Arnoldi 30th September 2022 Bus service Intercape has welcomed an order handed down by the High Court in Makhanda, in the Eastern Cape, in a matter the company brought against the Eastern Cape’s transport MEC, as well as Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula. Judge John Smith ruled that the MEC and the Minister are to take... →

Intercape bus

Cape Town to add two new MyCiTi depots in R340m project

By: Irma Venter 9th September 2022 The City of Cape Town has started construction of two new MyCiTi bus depots. The R340-million project forms part of the roll-out of the MyCiTi service to Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Claremont and Wynberg. →

Network industries gather to discuss work that still needs doing to tackle infrastructure sabotage

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 2nd September 2022 While some progress has been achieved in tackling the high rate of theft and vandalism on critical infrastructure networks across the country, there is still considerable work to be done to ensure the excessive economic toll this takes is mitigated. This was a key message from the Economic... →

Infrastructure issues hampering the country include copper cable theft

How Blockchain is being used to build trust across value chains

By: Schalk Burger 2nd September 2022 Distributed ledger technologies, such as blockchain, in which immutable copies of ledger entries are shared with all stakeholders, are being used to improve the speed at which members and whole supply chains can react to changes, and the transparency of the entire value chain, as verification can... →

VERIFICATION AND VALIDATION Blockchains facilitate the involvement of many witnesses and points of verification

Blue Train to resume services

By: Schalk Burger 29th August 2022 State-owned Transnet has completed investigations into incidents that led to the suspension of the Blue Train service in the latter part of the 2021/22 financial year, which paves the way for services to resume. "Transnet has also conducted a full review of safety and operational procedures... →

A photo of the Blue Train in operation before services were suspended

Intercape pleads for intervention as terror campaign intensifies

By: Irma Venter 26th August 2022 Long-distance coach company Intercape earlier this month appeared before the Western Cape legislature’s Standing Committee on Transport and Public Works, as well as members of the senior provincial police management, to plead for urgent interventions to stop the continuing attacks on its... →

Cosatu to march over 'unreliable, unsafe and broken' train service

By: News24Wire 24th August 2022 The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is planning to protest in front of the offices of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) on Wednesday against a "public transport crisis" in the Western Cape. The union, with the support of the SACP and other progressive forces, is... →

Proposed Gautrain expansion faces heavy resistance by committee

By: Darren Parker 17th August 2022 The proposed Gautrain expansion project was harshly criticised as a vanity project, a white elephant and a waste of government finances by members of the Gauteng Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Roads and Transport, which convened on August 16 to discuss its viability. The committee conducted... →

Klipspruit Valley road in Soweto to be closed for three months

By: Schalk Burger 15th August 2022 The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has advised the residents of Orlando and Greater Soweto that the Klipspruit Valley road, which is an arterial road going in and out of Soweto and a main route for Rea Vaya bus rapid transit (BRT) buses, will be closed for three months to reconstruct the... →

Cape Town to add two new MyCiTi depots in R340m project

By: Irma Venter 11th August 2022 The City of Cape Town will this month start construction of two new MyCiTi bus depots. The R340-million project forms part of the roll-out of the MyCiTi service to Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Claremont and Wynberg. →

Artist's impression of one of the proposed new depots

Intercape pleads for intervention as terror campaign intensifies

By: Irma Venter 8th August 2022 The Intercape long-distance coach company last week appeared before the Western Cape Standing Committee on Transport and Public Works, as well as members of the senior provincial police management, to plead for urgent interventions to stop the continuing attacks on its vehicles. In the latest... →

Image of an Intercape bus that was attacked

One of Intercape's buses that faced an attack by a gunman

ITSSA to disband as project has realised its mandate

By: Irma Venter 5th August 2022 The Intelligent Transport Society of South Africa (ITSSA) has disbanded, as it has fulfilled its mandate, says CEO Dr Paul Vorster. An ITSSA annual general meeting in July confirmed a decision taken by the society’s board in June to close the project. →

Volkswagen tops used-car sales survey

29th July 2022 According to a report carried out over six months by used car sales and buying service WeBuyCars, German motor vehicle manufacturer Volkswagen ranked as South Africa’s most sought-after used car brand among buyers between October 2021 and April 2022. The report released in May, was conducted on... →

A new white VW Polo being driven through a scenic area

MARCO POLO The most sought after second hand vehicle over a six month period was the VW Polo according to WeBuyCars research

Cape Town pursues reinstatement of joint rail enforcement unit

By: Irma Venter 29th July 2022 The City of Cape Town says it is keen to help revive the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) rail enforcement unit (REU), which operated as a three-way government partnership between October 2018 and July 2020. The REU was launched by then Minister of Transport Blade Nzimande at a cost... →

Rail revitalisation needed

By: Sabrina Jardim 29th July 2022 Revitalising South Africa’s rail infrastructure is necessary to ensure that it is a reliable, available, competitive and efficient mode of transport, allowing users to capitalise on the sector’s being safer, more reliable and low carbon emitting, says rolling stock manufacturing company Alstom... →

ON A ROLL Alstom assists its rail clients aiming to upgrade or refurbish their rolling stock by understanding their requirements and ensuring that they get maximum life out of all assets

Gibela unveils its one-hundredth train set

By: Sabrina Jardim 29th July 2022 Earlier this month, train manufacturer Gibela celebrated the high-profile handover ceremony of its one-hundredth train set to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) in Dunnottar, Ekurhuleni. The event was attended by Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula, Gauteng Premier David Makhura,... →

An image depicting Irene Charnley, Leonard Ramatlakane, David Makhura, Fikile Mbalula and other dignitaries in the transport and rail industries standing in front of the one-hundredth PRASA train

Gibela chairperson Irene Charnley, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa chairperson Leonard Ramatlakane and Gauteng Premier David Makhura address media and dignitaries during the celebration of the one-hundredth X'trapolis Mega train

PRASA gears up to open sections of the Western Cape’s Central line

By: Irma Venter 25th July 2022 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) will start trial operations on the Cape Town to Langa via Mutual station route, the Cape Town to Langa via Pinelands station route, and the Bellville to Ysterplaat via Lavistown station route, on the Central line corridor in the Western Cape, on... →

Image of PRASA's new trains the X'strapolis

PRASA working to restore three Gauteng rail corridors before year-end

By: Schalk Burger 21st July 2022 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is rebuilding and recovering five high-priority commuter rail corridors, three of which, in Gauteng, will reopen before the end of the year. These are in addition to five lines that are already operational. →

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula

ITSSA to disband as the project has realised its mandate – CEO

By: Irma Venter 15th July 2022 The Intelligent Transport Society of South Africa (ITSSA) has disbanded as it has fulfilled its mandate, says CEO Dr Paul Vorster. An ITSSA annual general meeting in July confirmed a decision taken by the society’s board in June to close out the project. →

Image of a toll gantry on the GFIP system

Gautrain ridership recovers to 42% of pre-Covid numbers

By: Irma Venter 15th July 2022 Ridership on the Gautrain has recovered to 23 358 average weekday rail trips, which is 42% of pre-Covid-19 numbers, says Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) communication and marketing senior executive manager Dr Barbara Jensen. Average weekday bus trips are currently at 8 681, which is 46% of... →

Joburg Mayor commends Metrobus for completing refurbishment of 105 buses

By: Marleny Arnoldi 13th July 2022 City of Johanneburg (CoJ) and Metrobus executives on July 13 unveiled some of the 105 buses it recently refurbished to the value of R50-million. The entity started a 36-month refurbishment programme in 2019 to help address the challenge of an aging bus fleet. Some of Metrobus’ buses have been... →

A photo of refurbished buses owned by Metrobus

PRASA awards R7.5bn in contracts for rolling stock overhaul

By: Irma Venter 8th July 2022 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has awarded five companies general overhaul contracts for its older rolling stock to the value of R7.5-billion. The agency says the five-year contracts will allow for the heavy maintenance and repairs of its existing train sets, while also... →

Gibela celebrates completion of one-hundredth X’trapolis Mega train for PRASA

By: Sabrina Jardim 4th July 2022 Rail transport consortium Gibela on July 4 unveiled the one-hundredth X’trapolis Mega commuter train it is building for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). Gibela, whose shareholders are Alstom, Ubumbano Rail and New Rail Africa, in 2013 signed a R53-billion contract to supply... →

The one-hundredth X'trapolis Mega commuter train to be produced by Gibela for PRASA's Metrorail service

Gibela chairperson Irene Charnley, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa chairperson Leonard Ramatlakane and Gauteng Premier David Makhura address media and dignitaries during the celebration of the one-hundredth X'trapolis Mega train to have been built at Gibela's Dunnotar factory in South Africa. Video: Shadwyn Dickinson; Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

City of Cape Town pursues reinstatement of joint rail enforcement unit

By: Irma Venter 1st July 2022 The City of Cape Town says it is keen to help revive the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) rail enforcement unit (REU), which operated as a three-way government partnership between October 2018, and July 2020. The REU was launched by then Minister of Transport Blade Nzimande at a... →

Feasibility study on the City of Cape Town’s takeover of Metrorail gets under way

By: Irma Venter 1st July 2022 The City of Cape Town will, on July 1, start a feasibility study on the devolution of the city’s passenger rail system from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to the metro. PRASA currently operates all commuter passenger rail systems in the country, with the exception of the Gautrain. →

Gautrain ridership recovers to 42% of pre-Covid numbers

By: Irma Venter 30th June 2022 Ridership on the Gautrain has recovered to 23 358 average weekday rail trips, which is 42% of pre-Covid-19 numbers, says Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) communication and marketing senior executive manager Dr Barbara Jensen. Average weekday bus trips are currently at 8 681, which is 46% of... →

Satsa calls on Presidency to urgently intervene in licensing debacle

By: Darren Parker 22nd June 2022 The South African Tourism Services Association (Satsa) has called on the Presidency to urgently intervene and declare an immediate moratorium on new and renewal applications for accreditation, operating licences and permits within the tourism sector for the sake of saving jobs and preventing the... →

Numsa signs above inflation wage increase with Gautrain operator

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 17th June 2022 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says it has signed an above-inflation wage increase of 7%, effective July 1, with the Bombela Operating Company (BOC), the agency which is running the Gautrain. In a statement, the union indicates that it has been engaging the employer... →

Sector can reap benefits from rail liberalisation

By: Sabrina Jardim 17th June 2022 Liberalising rail will allow for rail freight to be operated with the efficiency of the private sector at the core of designed operations, says rail infrastructure consulting company Taylorail CEO David Taylor. Taylor says this will allow for end-clients to benefit from lower cost-per-ton... →

An image depicting Taylorail's red rail wagon

TAYLORAIL WAGON Locomotives and wagons are capital intensive, with an estimated R600-million required to make use of one return slot out of the 16 that Transnet has issued advertisements for

Rail infrastructure challenges abound

By: Sabrina Jardim 17th June 2022 Train operators are working to restore the condition of South Africa’s rail network, including trains and stations, which is in “dire straits”, says Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) chief operations officer Tshepo Kgare. “The ageing infrastructure and limited capacity to move more goods and... →

An image depicting a smiling woman, Tshepo Kgare, wearing a blue blouse and black blazer

TSHEPO KGARE The RSR aims to develop a modern, flexible and efficient regulatory regime that ensures the continuing enhancement of safe railway operations

SGR to provide rail benefits

By: Sabrina Jardim 17th June 2022 With the National Rail Policy (NRP) emphasising the introduction of high speed standard gauge rail (SGR) technology on South Africa’s major rail networks, rail infrastructure consulting company Taylorail CEO David Taylor says this will make rail, as a mode of transport, a competitor for... →

A black and white image depicting a smiling man, David Taylor

DAVID TAYLOR Taylorail aims for the establishment of an open, efficient rail network by the public sector, which, alongside the private sector, enables the local economy to move forward

Policy opportunity for rail infrastructure

By: Sabrina Jardim 17th June 2022 With South Africa’s reliance on commodity exports, which can be handled only in large volumes by rail, law firm Norton Rose Fulbright Africa director and transport head Malcolm Hartwell says rail is a more efficient and environment-friendly way of transporting goods, making it crucial that rail... →

An image depicting railway tracks against the backdrop of a blue sky with white clouds and a bright shining sun

Photo by Adobe
RAIL POLICY The White Paper on National Rail Policy recognises problems with rail infrastructure and commits government to solving them

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