Question NW736 to the Minister of Transport
09 June 2020 - NW736
Waters, Mr M to ask the Minister of Transport
(1) What (a) number of train stations have been vandalised in Gauteng over the past three financial years, including signal equipment, substations, cables and any other operational equipment and (b) does he envisage will the total cost be to replace all the vandalised equipment; (2) (a) which train lines have been impacted, (b) what (i) was the optimal train service and (ii) is the current train service, (c) what number of commuters make use of each affected train line daily, (d) how were commuters informed of the reduction in train services and (e) what alternative transport arrangements has his department made for commuters; (3) what is the estimated daily loss in revenue for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa?
Reply:
1. (a) The number of train stations that have been vandalised over the past three financial years, including signal equipment, substations, cables and any other operational equipment is:
|
Incidents (vandalised) |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
TOTAL |
|
Stations |
37 |
42 |
94 |
173 |
|
Signal equipment |
298 |
469 |
221 |
988 |
|
Substations |
7 |
15 |
20 |
42 |
|
Cables |
760 |
585 |
488 |
1833 |
(b) Theft and vandalism has been increasing over the years and the cost to restore the vandalized equipment is in excess of R2bn. This cost covers the following:
- Both Conventional and Modern Signalling System
- Signals and Train Detection Cables including Battery Banks at Signalling Equipment Rooms
- Multiple spans of Contact and Catenary wire Overhead Track Equipment (OHTE)
- Transformers, Rectifiers and various components at substations
2. (a) Train lines which have been impacted are:
|
Gauteng West |
Gauteng East |
Gauteng North |
|
Vereeniging via Midway |
Daveyton – Dunswart both lines 24 |
Mabopane – Pretoria |
|
Westgate |
Springs – Germiston all lines 24 |
De Wildt – Pretoria |
|
Faraday |
Germiston – Katlehong via India & Germiston East 34 |
Saulsville – Pretoria |
|
Naledi to New Canada |
Germiston – Knights – Elandsfontein 12 |
Pretoria – Pienaarspoort |
|
Randfontein line |
Germiston – Johannesburg all lines 12 |
Pretoria – Johannesburg |
|
Midway – Oberholzer |
||
|
New Canada – George Goch |
(b) (i) Optimal train service was:
|
Gauteng West |
Gauteng East |
Gauteng North |
|
Vereeniging via Midway 66 trips weekday |
Daveyton – Dunswart both lines 24 trips per weekday |
Mabopane – Pretoria 103 trips per weekday |
|
Westgate 16 trips weekday |
Springs – Germiston all lines 24 trips per weekday |
De Wildt – Pretoria 42 trips per weekday |
|
Faraday 20 trips weekday |
Germiston – Johannesburg all lines 12 trips per weekday |
Saulsville – Pretoria 48 trips per weekday |
|
Naledi to New Canada 144 trips weekday |
Germiston - Kwesine |
Pretoria – Pienaarspoort 127 trips per weekday |
|
Randfontein line 46 trips weekday |
Pretoria – Johannesburg 68 trips per weekday |
|
|
Midway – Oberholzer 14 trips weekday |
||
|
New Canada – George Goch Included in Vereenigin & Naledi trips |
(ii) Current Service – pre lockdown train trips and during lockdown no services are running
|
Gauteng West |
Gauteng East |
Gauteng North |
|
Vereeniging via Midway 0 trips per day |
Daveyton – Dunswart No train service due to all lines not available |
Mabopane – Pretoria 0 trips per day |
|
Westgate 0 trips per day |
Springs – Dunswart Single line working up and down 24 trips per weekday |
De Wildt – Pretoria 0 trips per day |
|
Faraday 0 trips per day |
Germiston – Johannesburg Shuttle hauled by diesel locomotive |
Saulsville – Pretoria 0 trips per day |
|
Naledi to New Canada 74 trips per day (before lockdown vandalism) |
Elandsfontein – Germiston – Johannesburg Shuttle hauled by diesel locomotive to connect with the Pretoria train service at Elandsfontein |
Pretoria – Pienaarspoort 69 trips per weekday |
|
Randfontein line 26 trips per day |
Germiston – Kwesine A service between Elsburg – Kwesine was implemented. Commuters connected trains to Germiston with the Meyerton – Vereeniging service at Elsburg |
Pretoria – Johannesburg 10 trips per day |
|
Midway – Oberholzer 0 trips per day 6 shuttle (express) trips between Randfontein and Oberholzer per day |
||
|
New Canada – George Goch 0 trips per day All trains are travelling via Langlaagte |
c) Based on the 2018 census, the number of commuters making use of each affected train line daily, are:
|
Gauteng West |
Gauteng East |
Gauteng North |
|
Vereeniging via Midway 95 686 |
Olifantsfontein – Elandsfontein 95 921 |
Mabopane – Pretoria 154 512 |
|
Westgate 2 508 |
Daveyton – Germiston 108 543 |
De Wildt – Pretoria 1 679 |
|
Faraday 194 |
Germiston – Johannesburg 37 711 |
Saulsville – Pretoria 38 162 |
|
Naledi to New Canada 78,277 |
Germiston – Kwesine 43 200 |
Pretoria – Pienaarspoort 147 800 |
|
Randfontein line 46 260 |
Pretoria – Johannesburg 21 388 |
|
|
Midway – Oberholzer 2 620 |
||
|
New Canada – George Goch 5 109 |
d) For every incident where trains were reduced, Metrorail Marketing and Communications Department notified employees, commuters and the public at large via media. Please note that the information below is based on a single incident. This is then replicated in other areas when the train service in that area/corridor is also reduced.
When the train service is reduced, Metrorail employs the following platforms to notify affected commuters and the public at large:
- Media statement / alert
- Metrorail Gauteng Facebook page
- Twitter - @metrorailgp
- Go Metro (no longer operational since November 2019, but was used before when it was active)
- Face-to-face meetings with Commuter Forums
- Information Offices at stations
- Radio train traffic updates (free slots)
- In-house produced posters
- Commuter WhatsApp groups
- Commuters can also call stations and Information Centers
- Train service information updates also posted at some stations
e) Per region in Gauteng the following alternative transport arrangements were made for commuters:
Gauteng West:
Buses are used as alternative transport, but the service could not be sustained due to operational constraints and budget challenges at Autopax. Between Randfontein and Oberholzer a shuttle is running.
Gauteng East:
Alternative transport could not be provided due to budget being depleted to acquire buses from Autopax and the magnitude of the corridors to be provided for was really high in terms of demand and availability.
Gauteng North:
Diesel locomotive shuttle services were introduced but could not be sustained and could not cover all the corridors due to insufficient numbers of diesel locomotives available as well as continuous theft that resulted in hanging wires all over on different places on different days.
3. The estimated daily loss in revenue, based on the 2019/2020 Revenue Budget (excluding Covid-19 Lockdown), for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa is:
|
Gauteng West |
Amount |
Gauteng East |
Amount |
Gauteng North |
Amount |
|
Vereeniging via Midway |
R77,429 |
Olifantsfontein – Elandsfontein |
R65,607 |
Mabopane – Pretoria * |
R95,125 |
|
West Gate |
R1,425 |
Daveyton - Germiston |
R53,856 |
De Wildt – Pretoria * |
R15,223 |
|
Faraday |
R465 |
Germiston – Johannesburg |
R10,178 |
Saulsville – Pretoria ** |
R35,212 |
|
Naledi to New Canada |
R70,290 |
Germiston – Kwesine |
R36,684 |
Pretoria – Pienaarspoort |
R85,255 |
|
Randfontein line |
R25,766 |
Pretoria – Johannesburg |
R14,556 |
||
|
Midway to Oberholzer |
R6,476 |
||||
|
New Canada to George Goch |
R870 |
||||
|
Johannesburg |
R61,593 |
||||
|
Total |
R244,314 |
Total |
R166,325 |
Total |
R245,371 |
Total estimated daily loss in revenue is R656,010
* Mabopane and De Wildt Corridors were suspended in December 2019
** Saulsville corridor was suspended in March 2020 before the Covid-19 Lockdown was implemented