‘Around R7 billion’ will be spent on improving train services – Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has pledged to invest R7 billion on train upgrades.

On Monday morning, Mbalula paid a monitoring visit to the Cape Town Northern Line and the Western Cape Rail Management and Traffic Control Centre in Bellville. He also rode the new blue train, which has been dubbed the “people’s train.”

Mbalula stated that “the moment has come” to deploy reliable transportation.

Mbalula stated that the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has been obliged to cease all transport since the State of Disaster was declared.

“Despite the relaxation of travel restrictions, key infrastructure at several stations has been vandalized or stolen,” he stated.

The minister stated that two critical stations in Cape Town — Athlone and Maitland – will be refurbished.

The Central Line’s 21 stations are in desperate need of renovations and have been prioritized as part of the Prasa Central Line Presidential Project.

“The Central Line’s stations are undergoing various upgrades as part of the National Station Improvement Programme (NSIP), which began this fiscal year and is scheduled to conclude in the first quarter of fiscal 2022-23,” he explained.