The first new passenger trains to be delivered according to a multibillionrand contact signed between Gibela and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), were set to enter service in October, said PRASA strategic asset development group executive Piet Sebola on Monday.

Speaking at a pre-Africa Rail event in Sandton, Sebola said the first new blue and grey passenger trains, replacing the yellow and grey Metrorail sets, would run on the line between Pretoria and Pienaarspoort.

“By January next year we will have only new trains on that line. It will be about eight sets, with one set spare.”

The second line to introduce the new trains would be the Pretoria – Saulsville line, followed by the Pretoria – Johannesburg line.

Sebola added that he was “very happy” with the progress on the rolling stock contract.

“As we are talking, we have six train sets on our shores, the factory is under construction and a new training centre will open at the same site. Everything is on track.”

Gibela is supplying PRASA with 600 new trains, in a R59-billion deal (including VAT, excluding inflation), with the first 20 trains imported from Brazil, and 580 to be built at a plant currently under construction in Dunnottar, on the East Rand.

Gibela has also signed a 19-year maintenance and technical support programme with PRASA.

Gibela CEO Marc Granger noted that his company was targeting 70% local content on the South African-built trains.

Thirty-two local companies were already supplying parts to the Brazilian-made trains.

Gibela also already had forty-seven contracts in place for the supply of various materials, components and services, he noted.

Sebola said PRASA would run the old Metrorail train sets for roughly another ten years, to ensure that the company had “the critical mass” necessary to support its customers.

“The new sets will start to dominate by around 2027.”

Old train sets were still being refurbished at a cost of around R2-billion a year.

Metrorail currently transported around 2.2-million people a day, said Sebola.

Station, Signalling Investments
The new rolling stock would be supported by investment in rail infrastructure, a depot modernisation programme, new signalling systems and station upgrades, said Sebola.

The Braamfontein depot in Johannesburg, for example, would receive a R2.2-billion facelift, with the contractor for this project to be appointed in August.

The project was set for completion in May 2018.

Signalling in Gauteng was being upgraded in a R3.8-billion project, with KwaZulu-Natal receiving a R1.3-billion upgrade, to be completed in 2019.  The R1.8-billion Western Cape upgrade was also expected to be completed in 2019.

In the station upgrade programme, Park station, in Johannesburg, which currently handled around 200 000 passengers a day, would receive a R1.3-billion facelift, to be completed by March 2019.

The aim of the upgrade was to increase revenue generation at the station, to generate additional commercial opportunities and to improve the customer experience.

“We have developed master plans to develop our stations as precincts,” said Sebola. “PRASA owns a lot of property around the stations and we would like to see more accommodation and commercial developments around our stations.”