Durban’s rail network revival

DURBAN’S broken rail corridor is on track for a comeback as officials hammer out a deal to revive stations and tighten safety.

- ZAINUL DAWOOD

eThekwini Municipality and the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (PRASA) are finalising a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at tackling “years of neglect” and bringing order back to the city’s battered rail network.

The agreement, approved at a council meeting this month, will focus on cleaning up vandalised and hijacked stations.

It also aims to improve security and to integrate passenger rail with Durban's wider urban development plan.

The move follows a 2024 stakeholder meeting where PRASA outlined its strategy to boost passenger services, create safer transport hubs, and promote smarter land use around stations to drive economic activity.If signed, the MOU will mark a joint commitment to restore rail as a backbone of the city’s transport system and reclaim public spaces lost to crime and decay.