Blade Nzimande has finally come to the realisation that “launching” two model trains will not solve the Passenger Rail Agency of SA’s (Prasa’s) problems, and that yet another in a long line of “turnaround” strategies has failed. The Western Cape needs at least 88 train sets to run properly, but by October 2018 there were only 36 sets. These are not simply statistics — they translate into a real and lasting impact on commuters. Delayed and cancelled trains can cost passengers their jobs and prevent them from attending school. Security on the trains, on platforms and outside the stations is almost nonexistent. At least 32 people have been murdered in and around trains, yet there have been no working CCTV cameras since 2015. This is why nearly 250,000 people who used the trains previously no longer do so in the Western Cape. The resultant shift to roads has exacerbated traffic congestion for commuters. We are fighting to have the management and control of rail operations in the hands ...
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