PRASA spends R2.1 billion on rail recovery in Gauteng

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has spent R2.1 billion in recovering the rail infrastructure in Gauteng to date.

PRASA INJECTS BILLIONS TO REVIVE RAIL SYSTEM

In a briefing today, Monday, 28 August, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said PRASA is making significant progress in rebuilding the passenger rail infrastructure and refurbishing vandalised stations.

“Today, PRASA has recovered 18 corridors, with seven corridors now operational in Gauteng with the new Electrical Motor Units, Istimela Sabantu.”Chikunga

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PRASA REHABILITATES GERMISTON LINE

She was addressing the launch of the Leralla-Germiston line, which cost under R600 million in rebuilding and rehabilitating the line that first ran commercially on 6 July and now carries 10 000 people daily.

The rehabilitation included the six stations the train stops at, the overhead electrical cables that power the trains and the substations that feed power to the network. The train stops at Leralla, Limindlela, Tembisa, Kempton Park, Rhodesfield and Germiston stations.

“R28 million was invested in refurbishing the stations; R292 million spent on the overhead cables, and R276 million spent on the substations. R44 million was spent to rehabilitate and restore the Elandsfontein substation,” Chikunga said.

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JOHANNESBURG PARK STATION NEXT

The Minister said 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 project.

“Our interventions to restore urban passenger rail services aim to ensure that the return of passenger rail to the city is sustainable. 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.
“Through PRASA’s Capital projects, we will ensure that PRASA continues to invest in local communities and boost local economies by creating job opportunities. We are pleased to announce that 191 jobs were created in this project, with 15 young women under the age of 35 employed, 3 women with disabilities and 21 women over the age of 35. Four Small, Medium and Micro enterprises (SMMEs) from local communities benefited from this project,” she said.

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INFORMAL ECONOMY CATERED FOR

The Minister said it is also prudent that the informal economy benefits from the railway stations and the access they provide to people.

“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,” Chikunga explained.