A contract to supply new trains to Gautrain would be awarded`to a successful bidder in November next year, Roads and Transport MEC Ismael Vadi said on Wednesday.
Three bidders, Bombardier Transport (Pty) Ltd, CRRC E-Loco Supply and Egoli Rail Consortium would submit their final bidding in In May next year.
“A competitive procurement process is being followed, where seven potential bidders drew the Request-for-Qualification documents to supply the new trains. From these bids, three pre-qualified bidders, namely, Bombardier Transport (Pty) Ltd; CRRC E-Loco Supply (Pty) Ltd, and Egoli Rail Consortium, have been selected to participate in the next stage of the process,” Vadi said.
The procurement of 12 new trains were as a result of a rising customer base and demand for the Gautrain service. The new trains would help alleviate congestion that Gautrain passengers experienced during peak hours in the morning and evening, Vadi said.
The new procurement project was expected “to sustain” 10 000 jobs and increase government revenue by an estimated R542-million between 2019 and 2023.
“The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) has developed a business case within the existing funding for Gautrain and has partnered with the Development Bank of SA to arrange the financing for the 48 new coaches. The capital expenditure of approximately R4.3 billion for additional rolling stock and supporting infrastructure is expected to sustain about 10 000 jobs in Gauteng.”
Two weeks ago, construction company Murray & Roberts announced a settlement totalling up to R1.274-billion agreed in the disputes relating to the Gautrain project’s development period.
The settlement brought to an end a protracted legal battle between the Bombela Civil Joint Venture (BCJV), the subcontractor responsible for the design and construction of the Gautrain system, which was completed in 2012, and the Gauteng provincial government.