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Santaco acquires 25% stake in SA Taxi for R1.7bn

By: African News Agency 20th November 2018 The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has acquired a 25 percent stake in SA Taxi for R1.7-billion, following several years of a mutually-beneficial working relationship. SA Taxi finances entrepreneurs who operate minibus taxis that may not otherwise have access to credit from... →

Gibela to hand over SA-built train before year-end

By: Marleny Arnoldi 19th November 2018 The first new Xtra’polis Mega commuter train to be built in South Africa since the 1970s is undergoing final testing at transport consortium Gibela’s train manufacturing facility in Dunnottar, Gauteng, ahead of being handed over before the end of 2018 to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa... →

Ekurhuleni BRT system extended to OR Tambo International

By: Schalk Burger 16th November 2018 The Ekurhuleni bus rapid transit (BRT) system, called Harambee, has been extended from Tembisa to OR Tambo International Airport, says Ekurhuleni executive mayor Mzwandile Masina. The Harambee project is part of the overarching objective of developing an integrated public transport network to... →

Project to have major economic impact

By: Jessica Oosthuizen 16th November 2018 The Motherwell Passenger Rail Corridor (MPRC), one of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA’s) largest rail projects, will have a major economic impact, with significant benefits, says multidisciplinary engineering and architecture company GIBB railway engineering associate Nico... →

MOTHERWELL PASSENGER RAIL CORRIDOR The construction of the railway line and associated infrastructure is scheduled to start in 2022/23

Carmakers lure ride-hailer, delivery drivers in Africa

By: Reuters 9th November 2018 At Suzuki Motor Corp's showroom in the Kenyan capital, hundreds of its Alto compact cars are waiting to be collected. Most of the customers are drivers for ride-hailing company Uber Technologies, which struck a loans and discount deal with the Japanese carmaker and South Africa's Stanbic Bank, at... →

Nothing sinister about the new fleet of vehicles, PRASA spokesperson says

By: African News Agency 7th November 2018 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) on Wednesday in response to media speculation on its new fleet, said installation of tracking devices had delayed sending vehicles it acquired recently to operational areas. Media reports said that a total of 174 brand-new vehicles, which were... →

Policy weakness hinders transport financing – Vadi

By: Nadine James 1st November 2018 South Africa does not have clearly defined policy on the funding and financing of public transport infrastructure and operations, Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Ismail Vadi told delegates at the Transport Forum, in Pretoria, on Thursday. He commented that insufficient progress has been made with... →

Ekurhuleni BRT system extended to OR Tambo International

By: Schalk Burger 31st October 2018 The Ekurhuleni bus rapid transit (BRT) system, called Harambee, has been extended from Tembisa to OR Tambo International Airport, Ekurhuleni executive mayor Mzwandile Masina said at a media briefing at the Intercontinental Hotel, at the airport, on Wednesday. The Harambee project was part of the... →

Cybersecurity must be managed at board level, urges Gautrain boss

By: Irma Venter 30th October 2018 Cybersecurity must be managed proactively at board level, says Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) CEO Jack van der Merwe. “It must be led by senior management and assured by corporate governance. It is a line function and not a staff function.” →

Electric cargo bike pilot study to kick off in Sharpeville in November

By: Irma Venter 26th October 2018 Two electric cargo bikes (e-bikes) will start operations, in Sharpeville, Gauteng, at the end of November. The pilot project, a partnership between the Gauteng government and the German federal government, is funded by the German government. →

Ramaphosa inaugurates R1bn train manufacturing facility, training centre in Nigel

By: Nadine James 25th October 2018 President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday officially opened the R1-billion, 78 ha Gibela train manufacturing facility at Dunnottar Park, in Nigel, east of Johannesburg. Members of the Southern African Development Community Secretariat, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) acting group CEO... →

Intermodal transport systems vital for growth in South Africa, SADC region

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 23rd October 2018 Intermodal transport systems are vital for economic growth and development in South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi said during a presentation at the fifth edition of the South Africa-Italy Summit/Indaba on... →

Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi outlines the need for intermodal transport systems in South Africa and the rest of the Southern African Development Community region. Video and editing: Nicholas Boyd.

There is room for more ride-hailing services, says Taxify country manager

By: Irma Venter 23rd October 2018 Taxify believes there is room for another electronic ride-hailing service in South Africa. US-based Uber started operations in South Africa in 2013, with Estonia’s Taxify moving into the country in 2016. →

Gautrain expansion decision ‘not imminent’, warns MEC Vadi

By: Irma Venter 22nd October 2018 Government’s sign-off on the expansion of the Gautrain rail network “is not imminent”, warns Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi. He noted on Monday that the feasibility study for the proposed Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network Extension Plan had been completed. This study concluded... →

Cape Town e-bus rollout in limbo until Whitehead investigation wraps up end-2018

By: Irma Venter 17th October 2018 The City of Cape Town’s bid to use electric buses within its MyCiti system has been stalled by the investigation into former Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA) commissioner Melissa Whitehead. A fleet of eleven electric buses was scheduled for arrival by the end of 2017, “operating by... →

Rail to form backbone of South African transport, mobility by 2050

By: Simone Liedtke 11th October 2018 The draft White Paper on National Rail Policy is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with the legislative process only expected to begin post the 2019 national elections. The promulgation of the draft White Paper will be the first instance in which government will be giving the... →

Losses due to arson attacks on Metrorail trains closing in on R700m

By: African News Agency 9th October 2018 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) on Tuesday put its losses due to arson attacks on its Metrorail trains at R636-million over the past three years. Briefing Parliament's portfolio committee on transport, PRASA chief executive Sibusiso Sithole said 71% of the arson attacks had... →

Three new midibus routes launched on Gautrain system

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 8th October 2018 Three new routes have been added to the Gautrain midibus system, from the Gautrain Marlboro station to Kelvin, Buccleuch and Greenstone Mall. The new routes were opened on September 17, but were officially launched on Monday at the Marlboro station by Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi. →

Cape Town adds direct routes, 29 new bus stops to MyCiti service

By: Irma Venter 8th October 2018 The City of Cape Town will introduce a number of new routes and bus stops to its MyCiti bus service, starting October 27. “Our transport planners recently conducted a review of the MyCiTi service and the passenger demand on the MyCiTi routes,” says Cape Town Transport and Urban Development MMC... →

Nzimande urges Prasa, rail regulator to resolve trains safety impasse out of court

By: African News Agency 8th October 2018 Transport minister Blade Nzimande on Monday appealed to both the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) and Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) to find an out of court settlement in the interests of millions of commuters who daily use the Metrorail, in a stand off over safety. The regulator... →

Transport Minister Blade Nzimande

Local strides to hydrogen economy tempered by cost, industrialisation questions

By: Schalk Burger 27th September 2018 The use of platinum group metals-based fuel cells in electricity and mobility applications is expected to provide ample commercial opportunities for South Africa, in line with worldwide trends to decarbonise electricity generation and transport. However, the high cost of these technologies,... →

PRASA 'indefinitely' suspends trains in KZN

By: News24Wire 25th September 2018 There will be no trains in the entire province of KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) confirmed to News24 on Monday evening. PRASA provincial spokesperson Zama Nomnganga said they have indefinitely suspended all their operations in KZN. "Yes, we have done... →

Bombardier Transportation’s electric train makes its public debut

By: Irma Venter 14th September 2018 Bombardier Transportation’s new battery-operated train, the Bombardier Talent 3 electro-hybrid train, was introduced to the German public this week. “We want to continue to electrify rail transport. A train that can charge its batteries from the overhead line while driving is a huge step toward... →

African rail industry urged to adopt concepts of Fourth Industrial Revolution

By: Nadine James 4th September 2018 The African rail industry must adopt the concepts and develop the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to facilitate, and realise, the industrialisation aspirations of the continent, delegates attending a South African Heavy Haul Association (SAHHA) technical workshop, on Tuesday,... →

Mobility as a Service could be defining in the future of city transport – ITLS

By: Marleny Arnoldi 30th August 2018 Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) can, when integrated with smart mobility and public transport, provide efficient transport services for city inhabitants, says Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS) founder and director and Sydney Business School Professor David Hensher. Speaking at a... →

Untu warns against PRASA’s continued safety noncompliance

By: Marleny Arnoldi 28th August 2018 The United National Transport Union (Untu) believes government and Transport Minister Blade Nzimande can be held accountable for any injuries incurred by employees or commuters of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), owing to “blatant disregard” for basic safety procedures set down... →

Uber says concerned over some proposed changes to transport law

By: African News Agency 20th August 2018 Riding service Uber said on Monday it was concerned over some proposed amendments to the National Land Transport Act, including a clause instructing e-hailing operators to deny access to their systems to any driver without the necessary operating licence. Under the clause, ridesharing and... →

Gautrain strike over after workers accept 8% wage offer

By: African News Agency 13th August 2018 A two-week strike by Gautrain workers ended on Monday after workers accepted an offer by the Bombela Concession Company, operator of the high speed commuter rail system, of a one-year wage offer of eight% salary increments for about 90% of employees. Gautrain workers downed tools on July 30,... →

Uber rival Taxify bets on motorcycles and rickshaws in East Africa

By: Reuters 10th August 2018 Taxify, an Estonian ride-hailing company aiming to take on Uber in emerging markets, will invest millions of euros in East Africa in the next five years with a strategy focused on motorised rickshaws and motorcycles, it said on Thursday. The company, which already operates in five cities in... →

Western Cape lawmakers begin public hearings to regulate Uber

By: African News Agency 6th August 2018 The Western Cape provincial standing committee on transport and public works will on Wednesday hold its first public hearings into the National Land Transport Amendment Bill aimed at regulating e-hailing services, which include Uber and Taxify. The National Land Transport Act was passed to... →

R100 000 reward offered for info on Cape Town train fires

By: News24Wire 6th August 2018 The Western Cape government is offering a R100 000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of whoever is burning trains in Cape Town. "The R100 000 reward we are making available is our warning to these arsonists: You are being watched, you will be caught and we will... →

UNTU says accepts CCMA’s offer to help resolve Gautrain wage dispute

By: Marleny Arnoldi 3rd August 2018 The United National Transport Union (UNTU) has accepted the invitation of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to try and resolve the Gautrain strike that entered its fifth day on Friday. Subsequently, Gautrain has also accepted the invitation, as it is concerned... →

Bombela sets Gautrain contingency plan in motion as strike goes ahead

By: Simone Liedtke 30th July 2018 Wage negotiations between Gautrain operator Bombela Operating Company (BOC) and trade union, the United National Transport Union (UNTU) have reached a deadlock and, owing to this, UNTU-affiliated workers have embarked on a “no work, no pay” strike from Monday. BOC offered an 8.5% increase in... →

UNTU, Bombela to continue weekend talks to avoid planned Gautrain strike

By: Simone Liedtke 27th July 2018 Following the meeting held on Thursday between Gautrain operator Bombela Operating Company (BOC) and trade union, the United National Transport Union, negotiations to find a settlement in the current wage dispute have resumed on Friday and will continue over the course of the weekend. If no... →

No longer flavour of the month, SA rethinks its bus rapid transit systems

By: Irma Venter 27th July 2018 It seems government’s love affair with bus rapid transit (BRT) systems has cooled. Courted in the Brazilian city of Curutiba – it is difficult to find a local government transport executive who has not been there on a study tour – and sworn to fidelity in the pressure cooker years before the... →

Another Metrorail train on fire in Cape Town, bringing the number of incidents to five

By: News24Wire 26th July 2018 Yet another Metrorail train was in flames in Cape Town on Thursday - this time in Retreat. It is the fifth such incident in Cape Town this year. "Yes, we have confirmation that it is in Retreat," Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said. Scott was still waiting for further details. Fire... →

Gautrain operator requests meeting with union to avoid planned strike

By: Simone Liedtke 25th July 2018 Gautrain-operator Bombela Operating Company (BOC) on Wednesday told Engineering News Online that it remains open to further wage negotiations with trade union, the United National Transport Union (UNTU), after its wage offer was rejected. BOC has requested a meeting with UNTU on July 26. →

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