Question NW3458 to the Minister of Transport
31 October 2022 - NW3458
Sithole, Mr KP to ask the Minister of Transport
(1)Whether his department has recorded any train derailments in the (a) past two financial years and (b) current financial year; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what (i) number of train derailments occurred in each case and (ii) were the consequences of the specified derailments to the (aa) rail value chain, (bb) Transnet and (cc) the economy at large; 2. what (a) amount in Rand has been the effect to (i) Transnet and (ii) the economy and (b) were the costs of repairs in each case?
Reply:
(1) (a) Railway Operators are required to report operational occurrences and
incidents as prescribed by South African National Standards (SANS) 3000-1 categories (Railway Safety Management standard) to the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR).
The table below depicts a year-on-year comparison of derailments and the associated consequence for occurrences reported to the RSR. A total of 290 derailments during the movement of rolling stock were recorded during the 2021/22 reporting period. In addition, the data received indicates that there were ten (10) injuries and three (3) fatalities as a result of derailments recorded during the 2021/22 reporting period.
(b) The table below depicts the number of derailments during the movement of rolling stock for the first quarter of the 2022/23 reporting period. A year-on-year analysis reveals an increase from the fifty eight 58) derailments reported in the first quarter of 2021/22 compared to the current year under review at ninety one (91) derailments.
(aa) The geographical distribution of derailments by province can provide a substantive baseline to make inferences on the rail value chain. The data suggests that most derailments happen in Gauteng (51%), KwaZulu-Natal (17%), and Western Cape (12%). The rail value chain is adversely affected due to delays caused by such occurrences, often because of the time, it takes to clear the occupied sections.
(bb) Transnet Freight Rail reported a total of two hundred and twelve (212) derailments during the 2021/22 reporting period. This number represents 73% of the overall derailments reported by the railway industry.
(cc) An efficient railway industry creates significant economies of scale. The haulage of dry bulk freight and metal ore(s) are notably the most impacted sectors.
(2) The RSR is not required to by law and has not to date collected and verified information pertaining to the Rand amount in costs to the economy and the cost of repairs in each case for Transnet.