Question NW3541 to the Minister of Transport

Reply:

a) PRASA has inherited and thus operates services with train stations which to a large extent reflect the past regime’s historical planning, which located people outside of the economic hubs.

b) As per the above response in (a), the stations near the economic hubs referred to, have been inherited and were developed in the past regime motivated by the policy of housing certain races outside of economic hubs.

c) The PRASA property portfolio train stations near economic hubs are limited to areas within the following Cities:

• City of Johannesburg
  • Park Station in City Centre
  • Naledi (Soweto)
• City of Tshwane
  • Mabopane station
  • Pretoria Station
  • Saulsville Station
• City of Ekurhuleni
  • Dunswart
  • Germiston
• City of Ethekwini
  • Durban Station
  • Berea Station
• City of Cape Town
  • Woodstock Station
  • Saltriver Station
  • Cape Town Station
• Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela.
  • East London Station
  • Port Elizabeth Station

Stations are in various states of functioning, depending on the demographics of the area and the demand of transport in the area. PRASA has over the past five (5) years invested a substantial amount of Capital in improving the major stations through various programmes such as National Station Upgrade Programme (NSUP) and National Station Improvement Programme (NSIP). Whilst upgrading and improving stations, PRASA will identify the commercial opportunity and include it in the upgrade project. Other commercial opportunities identified will be as and when capital is available to cater for the commercial requirements or offered to the market for leasing.

d) Stations are classified as Super Core, Core, Medium, Small and Halts based on the number of commuters making use of the stations. Furthermore, the Local Authorities/Cities earmarks areas based on the demographics and development planning of the City.

Stations that do not meet the requirements of economic hubs are normally stations that have very limited commercial potential and only small station cafés or informal trade will take place until the fabric of the surrounding area changes, making it potential commercial hubs. Once again PRASA does not decide whether the area is earmarked as economic hubs as it is the Local Authority that determines this based on their Integrated Urban Development Plans, such as housing development, retail, etc. PRASA responds to these plans.

e) The Local Authority decides on an area and undertakes studies depending on demographic changes of the area.

f) The time frames are based on the Local Authority planning cycle and once the areas are developed into economic hubs, PRASA will respond with the upgrade of stations which includes commercial development and or residential developments.