Question NW147 to the Minister of Transport

Reply:

(a) Daveyton station and the other stations on the same line before decommissioning due to theft and vandalism. The station was rated as Super Core because it generated over R1 million in revenue and had high patronage and a high frequency of trains that operated in the corridor to serve the high demand.

As a high-performing corridor, all stations were well-resourced and allocated with customer and protection service staff to effectively manage access to stations and trains by manning all entry points to allow only paying customers entry through the successful implementation of various revenue enhancement programmes like “iThikithi eSandleni” and “Home and Away” initiatives to ensure that all commuters paid for their train fares and verified before entering and exiting the stations. Daveyton station used to have infrastructural building facilities that complied with the universal access and the lifts that provided access to the platforms.

(b) The train service in Daveyton – Johannesburg last ran on 18 January 2020. The Springs to Johannesburg terminated on 05 February 2020, just before the introduction of the March 2020 lockdown. Below is the table that indicates the number of passenger trips for both the year 2018 and 2019 respectively:-

LINE	ACTUAL PASSENGER TRIPS	TERMINATION DATE
	2018	2019
Daveyton - Johannesburg	14 956	9 989	18 JAN 2020

Daveyton station was run by trained personnel from Customer Services. There were staff members responsible for station maintenance/cleanliness, ticket sales, customer care, etc. For the safety of commuters, PRASA had internal Protection Services members and contracted security officials responsible for the safety of personnel, commuters, the company’s assets and trains. For commuters to plan their trip, the station had noticeboards displaying train schedules.

Trains ran on schedule, and Train Control Officers monitored movement at the Gauteng Nerve Centre (GNC). Trains arrived and departed from designated platforms, numbered for easy identification. Train announcements were made over public address system, indicating train arrivals, departures, delays, and other important train service information. The station had safety measures implemented, where warning signs and safety announcements were made to ensure customers’ safety.

Customers purchased train tickets at the ticket office before boarding the train, including weekly and monthly tickets. The station had functional amenities such as restrooms, platform shelters, and benches for journey experience and comfort.