Mandeni residents want their municipality to fast track its plans the revive the commuter train because they feel the taxi industry is ripping them off.
The commuter train has not operated in the area in over five decades leaving commuters at the mercy of buses and mostly taxis. With the increase in taxi fares last month commuters say it is becoming harder to keep up with travelling costs.
Sbongile Mncwango from Sundumbili township said she spends R200 a week on taxis because she has to travel to Stanger every day to work. She said unlike some of her colleagues she did not have the advantage of renting a place in Stanger because she had young children who needed her.
“I am sure the train would not cost R20 per trip as it costs less than that from Stanger to Durban. If you take a train on daily basis you also have an option of a discounted monthly coupon,” said Mncwango.
Londiwe Majola echoed Mcwango’s sentiments on the train being cheaper than taxis. She said Mandeni was a small town and people from there travelled to Stanger all the time to do their shopping because they did not have some of the national retailers in Mandeni.
“If you want to shop for clothes, school uniforms and things like that you need to go to Stanger or Eshowe. I travel to Stanger at least four times a month and I imagine others do it more,” said Majola.
She said she was sure the taxi fare would not be as high if there was an alternative and cheaper mode of transport in the area.
“We have been hearing about the municipality’s plans to revive the commuter train for over a year. I am not holding my breath that we will get it in the next two years,” said Majola.
Mandeni Municipality spokesperson Mduduzi Manzi said the revival of the commuter rail to Mandeni was part of their long-term urban regeneration project.
“Negotiations with PRASA/ Transnet are at very early stages. At the moment it is not possible to be specific on the exact time when the train is likely to start operating considering that it will require an infrastructure upgrade (e.g. the rehabilitation of passenger railway station).”
