#FixOurTrains

We welcome the introduction of the new trains – Izitimela Zabantu – which provide greater efficiency and safety for passengers. However, most Metrorail trains are still the old, decrepit yellow trains. The ancient, run-down trains and stations are not safe and often run late. People are constantly being robbed, whilst some have even lost their lives. Women and children especially don’t feel safe. Consistent delays and train cancellations mean that commuters often have to walk home in the dark.

Businesses also suffer from a loss of productivity, and because buses and taxis are overburdened, the traffic is worse for everyone.

PRASA will try to paint a rosy picture – that it is turning around and improving its services. However, it has consistently failed to meet its own performance objectives, every year. On average, over the last decade, it has achieved just 21% of its own objectives. In 2022, it only achieved 13%.

While it is bringing some lines back, it reported in its last Annual Report that 18 of 40 Metrorail lines were not working. It is only operating 2 of 20 Shosholoza Meyl lines. The Central Line in Cape Town, for instance, has been out-of-service since 2019. It is still only operating a third of its length and only one train every two hours.

One reason for PRASA’s inability to provide a working train service is it’s chronic under-spending problem. Last year, it only spent 27.5% of its capital expenditure budget. It is now using its capital budget to fund its operational expenses. A decade of underspending its capital budget, while it gets renewed funding every year, has meant that PRASA is sitting on a pile of cash – around R23 Billion.

The corruption at PRASA is different to other Gupta-captured institutions – it was captured by a local cabal and big foreign capital. Recent court cases and the State Capture Commission of Inquiry have shown that billions of Rand have been stolen that could have been used to improve our rail system, yet the Hawks and the National Prosecution Authority have done nothing. See our PRASALeaksReport and documents for more information on state capture at PRASA.

#UniteBehind has acted to ensure that money lost to corruption is recovered. For instance, in the R5 billion Siyangena case, we acted as a ‘friend of the court’ to stop an unlawful settlement between Siyangena and PRASA and ensure that the case was adequately defended. We were successful in this case.

We are bringing a court case to #FixOurTains. We will ask the court to:

• remove and replace the Ramatlakane Board of Control,
• institute a ‘special officer of the court’ to assist and oversee the turnaround of PRASA,
• ensure that PRASA signs service level-agreements with municipalities to bring a level of local control over commuter rail, and
• devolve (transfer) PRASA’s operations and assets to the lowest level of government possible.

Read our letter of demand here.