Steady path to recovery as railway corridors gear to open soon – Prasa
With most rail corridors still non-operational, with promises to turn them around by 2022, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has vowed that it is on a steady road to recovery.
This as the rehabilitation of the “world-class” Mabopane-Pretoria railway network is set to bring safe and speedily train services in the next year.
The improvements are in accordance with the presidential Mabopane service recovery programme with current costs estimated at R1.2b, however, “the figure might change”.
Mabopane train testing . pic.twitter.com/Z127NGc73a
— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) December 21, 2021
This follows the entire railway infrastructure network suffering vandalism and theft, which saw operations suspended.
The vandalised assets included train stations, power supply systems such as overhead traction equipment and signalling systems.
Man electrocuted while attemping to steal railway cables https://t.co/GIQI1HgO4J #ArriveAlive #Crime #Electrocution @PRASA_Group @Eskom_SA @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/Fi9EsJSSQr
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) December 17, 2021
Prasa announced that most of the corridors would be fully operational in the new year, including the Central line in Cape Town and the Mabopane line in Tshwane.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said Prasa was facing challenges in speedily rehabilitating rail infrastructure.
“It is common cause that we inherited a broken organisation in dire straits.”
He said in the new year, the agency would provide a comprehensive update on the progress made in implementing the Prasa corporate plan and the shareholders compact.
“This update will also include the White Paper on National Rail Policy, which will be tabled before cabinet in the new year.
“Our efforts to turn Prasa around will not take us 30 years, but will deliver tangible results in the coming year. “
Mbalula said through the shareholders’ compact, Prasa had concluded with the board, to address the challenges with speed, in a systematic and focused manner.
“When we came into office in 2019, we set out a process to address the dire state of the entity and implemented various interventions to address institutional and operational challenges at Prasa.”
“That process is firmly on track and significant progress has been made in a number of areas.”
He said the board of control, appointed in 2020, was making progress in building the necessary capacity while providing leadership in enabling Prasa to deliver on its mandate.
“I have been briefed on a number of significant decisions the board has made, which include the termination of employment of the group CEO, a matter currently before the courts.
“The report of the special investigation unit (SIU) implicates approximately 44 officials in wrong-doing, and the board is implementing consequences management in this regard.”
Mbalula said the board was equally giving urgent attention to serious allegations made against one of the executives, while tackling, among others, the challenge of ghost workers at an internal campaign, Operation Ziveze.
“I have comfort that the board has its eye on the ball and is making headway in addressing chronic challenges that have undermined Prasa’s ability to deliver on its mandate in the past.”
Trains will be back test riding the Mabopane line #Ziyabuya I Trains watch as it unfold 2022. pic.twitter.com/uBZsVtbkEp
— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) December 21, 2021
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