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Radebe plans to spend billions on new trains
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Date: 2008/05/21 08:30
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By: admin
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Status: Admin
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Admin
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Courtesy of IOL 21 May 2008
South Africa Minister of Transport has announced ,in what was described as the "biggest acquisition" of its kind in the developing world, the department of transport is to replace the country's entire ageing 4 600 strong Metrorail passenger train fleet in a bold plan to improve train services.
This was revealed by Transport Minister Jeff Radebe before his budget vote in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The replacement of the old trains is a long-term project and is expected to continue way after 2010.
Radebe couldn't reveal the exact cost of the plan, but it would be a multi-billion programme.
"(The) SARCC (SA Rail Commuter Corporation) has compiled a business case for the recapitalisation of Metrorail. In the next few weeks, I will report to Cabinet (regarding) the ordering of new trains for South Africa. This will be the biggest acquisition currently in the developing world.
"It is a critical issue, and if we can't recapitalise Metrorail, it's just prolonging the pain for our people, who are travelling in sub-standard conditions," said Radebe.
In the meantime, the SARCC is to spend about R2-billion to refurbish the existing trains during the current financial year.
Radebe said the under-investment in rolling stock was a legacy problem inherited from apartheid.
SARCC chief executive Lucky Montana said out of the 4 600 trains in SA, only about 3 600 were "railworthy".
The average age of the country's rolling stock was 40 years, and the trains functioned on 1956 technology.
The department's director-general, Mpumi Mpofu, allayed fears that the trains would be unaffordable for the working class. A regulatory body to oversee tariff structures and fares would be established.
"The aim of this is to drive down costs," said Mpofu.
Radebe said the recent launch of the Tshwane Business Express between Tshwane and Johannesburg was yet another milestone in the turning around of the passenger service, particularly after the recent launches of the Soweto and Khayelitsha express services.
"It is important that we demonstrate that Metrorail is positioned as a world-class organisation that can offer quality passenger services," said Radebe.
"Also, the programme to upgrade key rail stations for the Confederations Cup next year and for the 2010 World Cup is under way, and construction or improvement at stations such as Nasrec, Doornfontein, near Ellis Park, Moses Mabhida, Cape Town, Loftus and North End in Port Elizabeth is to be completed by the end of April next year."
The SARCC had allocated an additional R300-million over the next three years for the improvement of ablution facilities, lighting, subways and other facilities at more than 130 stations.
Radebe said the R7,7-billion taxi recapitalisation programme continued to face challenges with operating licence boards.
Air transport had been enhanced in recent years by the introduction of budget airlines that allowed more people to afford air travel.
Radebe acknowledged that luggage theft at airports remained a major problem.
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