Name of the Project
Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN) extension project.

Location
Gauteng, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT), and the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA).

Project Description
The proposed extension of the Gauteng Rapid Rail Network will add 146 km of rail, as well as 19 new stations, to the existing Gautrain system that comprises an 80 km route and ten stations. Of the 19 additional stations, four are located in Tshwane, three in Ekurhuleni, and twelve in Johannesburg.

The implementation of these extensions is planned over 20 years and will be phased as follows:
Phase 1: Marlboro to Little Falls through Sandton, Randburg and Cosmo City.
Phase 2: Little Falls to Jabulani in Soweto, through Roodepoort.
Phase 3: Samrand to Tshwane East through Irene.
Phase 4: Rhodesfield to the East Rand Mall, and Cosmo City to Sunninghill    through Fourways.
Phase 5: East Rand Mall to Boksburg, Cosmo City to Lanseria through Cradle, and Tshwane East to Mamelodi through Hazeldean.

Potential Job Creation
The proposed extension of the GRRIN has the capacity to create about 211 000 direct jobs over the development of all five phases.

Capital Expenditure
The total capital expenditure required to implement this project will be concluded as the respective phases of implementation attain the relevant Public–Private Partnership (PPP) Treasury Approvals as per the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA),1999.

Planned Start/End Date
The estimated start and end dates for the development of the proposed extensions cannot yet be determined, as they depend on the attainment of the respective Treasury Approvals that entail the following:

Treasury Approval 1 (TAI):  start of the procurement process.                             

Treasury Approval 2A (TAIIA): issuance of procurement documents to the market to prequalify bidders and, thereafter, the issuance of request for proposals.

Treasury Approval 2B (TAIIB): negotiations with the preferred bidder and financial closure.

Treasury Approval 3 (TAIII): signing of the PPP agreement.

Latest Developments
Gauteng Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo has publicised the preferred route for Phase 1 of the GRRIN.  

This route has been published in the Gauteng Provincial Gazette following a consultative process, which enabled affected parties to make submissions regarding possible route options. 

Determining the route alignment is the first step in defining a rail reserve for the future railway line. It establishes a corridor of 200 m on either side of the centreline of the determined route, with this corridor to become part of all local authority spatial planning processes.

This means that Mamabolo must be allowed to comment on all applications that are received by the City of Johannesburg for any land-use changes that fall within the determined route. 

The next step in the process will be to undertake a preliminary design for Phase 1 of the proposed GRRIN extension. This will include an environmental-impact assessment, as well as further consultation with all interested and affected parties.

The proposed route for Phase 1 of GRRIN begins at the proposed location of a new station at Little Falls, which is located to the east of Hendrik Potgieter road, in Willowbrook. 

From the proposed Little Falls station, the route runs in a north-easterly direction towards Zandspruit, where the line passes to the west of Jackal Creek Golf Estate. 

The route then changes in a south-easterly direction towards Cosmo City and the proposed new Cosmo City station. From the Cosmo City station, the route continues in a south-easterly direction towards the proposed new Randburg station, passing through North Riding, Olivedale, Bryanston and Ferndale. 

The route then continues in a south-easterly direction through Randburg, Bordeaux, and Hurlingham. 

Once it reaches Sandhurst, the line changes direction towards the existing Gautrain Sandton station, which will be upgraded substantially under the plans for GRRIN Phase 1.

From Sandton, the route runs in a north-easterly direction through Sandton, Sandown, Marlboro and Alexandra, towards the existing Gautrain Marlboro station, which will also be upgraded to accommodate the new alignment.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
The announcements regarding key contracts and suppliers that are required for the development and implementation of the proposed extensions project will be made as the project attains key procurement milestones.

Contact Details for Project
GMA senior executive manager communication and marketing Dr Barbara Jensen, email barbaraj@gautrain.co.za.