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Public Transport News

Engen refinery temporarily shut amid low demand

By: Donna Slater 30th March 2020 The Durban-based petroleum refinery of fuels, lubricants and oil-based products distributor and marketer Engen has undergone a temporary controlled shut down, effective March 27, as a result of forecasted lower demand for petroleum products during the national lockdown which came into effect from... →

Opinion: Transport sector expected to play a key role during lockdown

27th March 2020 As we wake up to a country in lockdown, the rules are still being written and the full impact of the coronavirus for South Africa is yet ahead. Making sense of our new circumstances and adapting to the fast-changing new reality is overwhelming. At the same time it requires exceptional leadership... →

Train services suspended for duration of lockdown - Mbalula

By: African News Agency 25th March 2020 All commuter rail services will shut down for the duration of South Africa's national lockdown, transport minister Fikile Mbalula said on Wednesday. "All long-distance passenger rail services, both public and private, will stop operations for the duration of the lockdown. Services of Shosholoza... →

Opinion: Working together to keep public transport Covid-19 free

20th March 2020 In less than a week South Africans have begun adapting to the declaration of a global pandemic, a national state of disaster and the immediate and widespread disruption to our daily lives. The World Health Organisation’s declaration on 13 March 2020 that the global Covid-19 outbreak constituted a... →

'My worry is the people we transport' – Johannesburg taxi driver

By: News24Wire 20th March 2020 Johannesburg taxi drivers say they need to be equipped with more knowledge about the symptoms and prevention of the new coronavirus (Covid-19). On Thursday, some drivers told News24 that they were in the dark about coronavirus and were not prepared to deal with the outbreak. →

Coronavirus in SA: Gautrain exec tests positive, staff self-isolated, station deep clean

By: News24Wire 18th March 2020 A Gautrain business unit director who travelled from France has tested positive for Covid-19. According to the company, the executive visited its Midrand offices between 12 and 14 March, as well as the Gautrain Park and Sandton stations. He is currently in self-isolation. →

Gautrain assures of cleaning practices after passenger tests positive for Covid-19

By: Marleny Arnoldi 17th March 2020 The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) has advised that a passenger who used the Gautrain Park and Sandton stations has tested positive for Covid-19, and urges visitors to these stations between March 12 and 14 to be vigilant about any symptoms. The businessman was visiting the Bombela Operating... →

Coronavirus: E-hailing services to continue in SA under strict 'hygienic protocols' – Bolt, Uber

By: News24Wire 17th March 2020 E-hailing services Bolt and Uber will continue to operate, amid the fear and panic of the global outbreak of Covid-19, but operations will occur under strict hygienic protocols. "Based on the advice of public health authorities, our goal is to help flatten the curve on community spread in the... →

Tanzania set to launch tender for single gauge railway to Rwanda, DRC

By: African News Agency 12th March 2020 The Tanzanian government has announced that it will soon invite international tenders for the construction of a standard gauge railway (SGR) to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), building and construction magazine, Construction Review Online reported. Tanzania's chief government... →

Cape Town cuts water to PRASA, electricity to follow

By: African News Agency 10th March 2020 The Cape Town municipality has cut water supply to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and will do the same with electricity supply to the troubled entity on Tuesday, deputy mayor Ian Neilson said on Monday. The disconnection comes after PRASA missed a deadline of Friday imposed by... →

Massive R1.4bn boost to get Cape Town central line back on track

By: News24Wire 5th March 2020 The Department of Transport budgeted a massive amount of money to get the problematic Cape Town Central train line back on track. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Thursday said there would be a phased re-introduction of the train service for the central line which served commuters in... →

Eskom power cut derails Western Cape train service, Mbalula not impressed

By: African News Agency 27th February 2020 Commuter trains throughout the Western Cape came to a halt on Thursday as Eskom disconnected power to Metrorail due to unpaid bills, causing transport chaos in the province. Limited service was restored by late afternoon after the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), which owns... →

The night a Van der Merwe and Ledwaba took gold in London

By: Irma Venter 27th February 2020 After twenty years of first finding ways to kickstart the Gautrain project, then building and running the urban rapid-rail system, Gautrain Management Agency CEO Jack van der Merwe has retired. His skills are not lost to Gauteng, however, as he is set to lead the newly established Transport... →

Jack van der Merwe

'Speeding' Shosholoza Meyl stopped in its tracks following fatal crash

By: News24Wire 19th February 2020 The Shosholoza Meyl, a long-distance train service operated by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), has been ordered to stop operating with immediate effect. This follows a fatal train crash on February 12, which left one man dead and several others injured when a goods and... →

KfW, DBSA renew MoU

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 13th February 2020 German development bank KfW has renewed its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with development finance institution, the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), to continue their successful collaboration on the financing and implementation of programmes. The signing of the MoU took place on... →

PRASA denies allegations of abuse of dominance at Jhb intermodal facility

By: Marleny Arnoldi 13th February 2020 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has welcomed the opportunity to present its case to the Competition Tribunal around allegations that it had abused its dominance through its bus transport subsidiary Autopax. The Competition Commission earlier this week referred PRASA and... →

Investigation under way following fatal rail accident in Johannesburg

By: Simone Liedtke 13th February 2020 An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the accident between a Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) Premier Classe passenger train and a stationary Transnet train between the Roodepoort and Horizon Stations, in Johannesburg, on Wednesday evening. The investigation is... →

Commission asks tribunal to prosecute PRASA’s Autopax over abuse of dominance

By: Marleny Arnoldi 10th February 2020 The Competition Commission has referred the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and its bus transport subsidiary Autopax to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution for allegedly abusing its dominance. This follows an investigation by the commission into complaints by various... →

Green transport set to overtake cars in world's major cities by 2030

By: Reuters 10th February 2020 From public transport to cycling, sustainable transport is on course to overtake driving in the world's biggest cities within a decade, according to a study released on Monday. Private car trips will drop by 10% on average by 2030 to make up less than half of all city journeys, while public... →

Video: Zero emissions transport future will require more copper, platinum

By: Creamer Media Reporter 6th February 2020 Canadian mining company Ivanhoe Mines co-chairperson Robert Friedland this week told delegates at the Investing in African Mining Indaba that the world was shifting towards zero emissions transportation and that this will likely result in shortages of 'green' metals, like platinum and copper. He... →

Ivanhoe Mines co-chairperson discusses the global move away from internal combustion engines towards electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Video and editing: Nicholas Boyd

PRASA administrator appoints technical advisory team

By: Irma Venter 5th February 2020 Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) administrator Bongisizwe Mpondo has appointed a panel of technical advisors to assist him during his 12-month tenure. The rail entity says the technical advisory team will provide PRASA with much-needed technical expertise, while also supporting... →

Gibela to focus on quality, suppliers as it ramps up to full production

By: Irma Venter 31st January 2020 The Gibela consortium will spend the next three years ramping up to full production of 62 trains a year, says CEO Hector Danisa. It may prove to be a challenging period, he adds, as Gibela will need to address some quality issues, as well as build capacity within its supply chain. →

Hector Danisa

Gautrain tenders for acquisition, refurbishment of pre-owned trains open

By: Irma Venter 30th January 2020 Gautrain concessionaire Bombela has issued two tenders related to the procurement of between five and seven pre-owned trains from the UK, for use on the Gautrain system. The first offers are expected to arrive at the end of February, says Gautrain Management Agency CEO William Dachs. The GMA... →

New Gautrain boss to plan for capacity increase, end of concession

By: Irma Venter 30th January 2020 Newly appointed Gautrain Management Agency CEO William Dachs’s first goal is ensure the Gautrain rail system remains an “excellent, safe and reliable mode of public transport”. It is also important to retain the GMA’s pristine governance record. The GMA manages the Gautrain system on behalf of... →

New Gautrain Management Agency CEO William Dachs

Dachs takes over as Gautrain boss as Van der Merwe retires

By: Irma Venter 29th January 2020 Jack van der Merwe, who led the planning and rollout of the Gautrain rapid rail project for two decades, will retire as Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) CEO on February 29. His successor will be long-time COO, William Dachs, announced Gauteng MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure... →

William Dachs

Train arson: Residents urged to have say in Western Cape police ombudsman's probe

By: News24Wire 29th January 2020 Western Cape residents have until Thursday to have their say on how effectively the South African Police Service is dealing with train arson. The provincial police ombudsman Major General Johan Brand was leading the investigation into the alleged inability of the police in the Cape Peninsula to... →

JRA to resurface the Smit street offramp

By: Simone Liedtke 21st January 2020 The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) will embark on a road resurfacing programme, which will focus on deep patching on the M1 North Smit street offramp, in Braamfontein. The closure will start on January 22 and end on January 28. →

Administrator sets out ambitious plan for 'broken' PRASA

By: Irma Venter 15th January 2020 Lifestyle audits, cashless ticketing, renegotiating Eskom tariffs and finalising the general overhaul tender are all on the to-do list for the newly appointed administrator of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), Bongisizwe Mpondo. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula appointed Mpondo... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Irma Venter
PRASA administrator Bongisizwe Mpondo

Govt must protect rail infrastructure, PRASA assets – Mosebenzi Zwane

By: News24Wire 7th January 2020 Appropriate measures must be taken to protect rail infrastructure and all assets belonging to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), transport portfolio committee chairperson Mosebenzi Zwane said after 24 carriages in Bloemfontein were set alight. News24 reported on Sunday that 24... →

Youths suspected of torching 24 Shosholoza Meyl carriages in Bloem

By: African News Agency 6th January 2020 A case of arson is under investigation after 24 out of order Shosholoza Meyl train carriages were torched on the rails next to the Bloemfontein train station on Saturday. The coaches had been earmarked for refurbishment, the department of transport said on Sunday. →

Cape Town central train line still suspended as officials seek cable theft solution

By: News24Wire 12th December 2019 Train commuters on Cape Town's central line are still without rail services as continued fears over cable theft, safety and subsequent repairs have hindered Metrorail's services. For the last month, commuters from areas such as Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain have been forced to make use of... →

Cape Town to spend R65m on new transport facility in Somerset West

By: African News Agency 11th December 2019 The Cape Town council said on Wednesday it would spend approximately R65-million to construct a new public transport interchange in Somerset West. Mayoral committee member for transport Felicity Purchase said this was the biggest public investment in the central business district in recent years,... →

Treasury has to change its thinking around public transport, says Van der Merwe

By: Irma Venter 5th December 2019 National Treasury has to change its attitude towards public transport, says Gautrain Management Agency CEO Jack van der Merwe. “If Treasury keeps on saying public transport is for the poor, we are dead. →

Bus and coach sector enjoys uptick

By: Darren Parker 22nd November 2019 Despite a difficult economic climate for most industries, there has been increased demand in the local bus and coach sector in the second half of 2019. “The demand for reliable, safe transport for commuters is growing, owing to increased urbanisation, thereby placing bus and coach manufacturers... →

JASON BRUNNINGER Advances in infrastructure are needed for the electrification of buses in Southern Africa

South Africa’s transport future depends on how economy is stimulated

By: Simone Liedtke 21st November 2019 Transport infrastructure is considered a critical part of the National Development Plan 2030, with State-owned Transnet capital projects acting project director Shraveen Ramdhar on Thursday saying South Africa’s transport future was dependent on how government intended to stimulate the economy.... →

Transnet capital projects acting project director Shraveen Ramdhar speaks to Engineering News Online about South Africa’s transport future. (Video: Creamer Media’s Kutlwano Matlala. Editing: Creamer Media’s Nicholas Boyd)

Gauteng public transport MEC calls urgent meeting with Putco over string of bus accidents

By: News24Wire 21st November 2019 Gauteng Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo has called an urgent meeting with bus service operator Putco over a series of accidents in the province. The meeting comes after three Putco buses were involved in separate accidents on Moloto Road on Wednesday. →

Montana describes Sars order to attach his assets as 'vindictive'

By: News24Wire 21st November 2019 Former Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) chief executive Lucky Montana has described the latest move by the South African Revenue Service (Sars), who seized his assets, as "vindictive" and "unethical". Montana said the Sheriff of the Court arrived at his home on Wednesday morning with... →

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