Infrastructure damage to blame for disuse of refurbished trains —- Creecy

TRANSPORT Minister Barbara Creecy has attributed the disuse of trains refurbished by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) to infrastructure damage caused by theft and vandalism that affected the railway lines where the old fleet could be used.

- MAYIBONGWE MAGHINA

Creecy said Prasa has embarked on a rebuilding and recovery programme to revitalise the lines and introduce new trains in the recovered lines.

“The old fleet trains may be best utilised in lines and corridors that are mainly outside the metros. Most of these lines are owned by Transnet, and Prasa is in discussion with Transnet on the recovery of these lines for use to transport passengers,” she said.

Some of the refurbished old fleet trains are being used in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape, said Creecy when responding to parliamentary questions from EFF MP Omphile Maotwe.

Her response comes after Prasa spent R2.5 billion of the R7.5bn of the General Overhaul Project to refurbish the old grey-and-yellow rolling stock.

In June, Prasa told the Portfolio Committee on Transport it has no plans to spend the remaining R5bn on the refurbishment of the coaches.

Creecy revealed that a total of 272 coaches have been refurbished to date.