Prasa's rail recovery plan faces scrutiny

A PRESENTATION by the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) to the Western Cape legislature's Standing Committee on Mobility has highlighted progress in rail service recovery across the province, but also exposed political fault lines over the City of Cape Town's role in the future of commuter rail.

- MANDILAKHE TSHWETE

The briefing, framed as an update on the Service Level Plan (SLP) agreed between Prasa and the City, outlined operational improvements.

These include the restoration of 13 train services and a rise in train punctuality from 81.1% last year to 87.4% in 2024/25.

Train cancellations have also dropped from 7.2% to 4.6%.

Yet despite these gains, serious concerns remain.

The Central Line, a vital commuter corridor linking Khayelitsha and Mitchell's Plain with Cape Town and Bellville, continues to struggle with informal settlements encroaching on the tracks.

Prasa presented phased relocation plans but stopped short of committing to any firm timelines.

The agency also projected an ambitious growth in daily commuter numbers from 53000 currently to over 340000 by 2026, under its Operation Bhekela programme.