Question NW2500 to the Minister of Transport

Reply:

 

(a). (i) & (ii) Leasing and usage of locomotives does not take place at PRASA Corporate, but happens at regional level.

Gauteng Metrorail is currently leasing shunting locomotives which are primarily supposed to be used for shunting operations in the marshalling yards at Wolmerton and Braamfontein depots.

The Eastern Cape service are operated with diesel locomotives as opposed to electrified motor coaches as PRASA has a 25KV AC overhead voltage as opposed to 3KV DC in other regions/provinces for commuter services.

In the Western Cape diesel locomotives are leased for hauling movements of train sets/wagons/coaches where no Over Head Traction Equipment is available to enable self powering of motor coaches. Metrorail also lease diesel locomotives for shunting purposes of coaches and train sets within the maintenance yards, other related depots as well as for train set rescue in section and emergency during incidents/accidents.

KZN Metrorail is currently leasing shunting locomotives which is primarily used for shunting operations in the Durban marshalling yard and in Springfield maintenance yard.

(b). The number of Transnet locomotives that have been in use under the specified rental, lease and/or loan agreement conditions in the past 36 months are as follows:

Region	Gauteng	Eastern Cape	Western Cape	Kwazulu-Natal
2019/2020	4	8	1	1
2020/2021	4	10	1	1
2021/2022 to date	8	0	1	1

1. Operational costs on Transnet locomotives carried by (i) PRASA and (ii) Metrorail:

• 1. Refer to response in (a)
  2. Operation cost per region

Region	Amount
Gauteng Region	R80,735,340-75
Eastern Cape Region	R75,288,586-93
Western Cape Region	R11,079,828-00
Kwazulu Natal Region	R2,168,752-32