Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula visited Mabopane train station recently to resume the train service operation between Mabopane to Pretoria station line. Mbalula said that it is an important work in terms of modernization and revitalization he retaliated that the trains are not new in terms of the work that the government is doing.
“I resume train operations in the area after the lines were vandalized and the resumption forms part of the presidential project and it is very same line which President Cyril Ramaphosa had a breakdown of 4 hours, the Mabopane corridor is the biggest in Pretoria which carries lot of people the place was ravaged with lots of challenges in terms of commuters where peoples trains were not running on time and arriving late at work so we’ve have resumed a service that is essential for the people and has historical context,” Said Mbalula.
Mbalula said that the trains are manufactured in Nigel which forms part of job creation project that started 10 years back, “They are happy in the Mabopane line that they got new trains the fixing that is going on and their ready to go the line has 300000 people using it, trains are running on time and make it a point that people get to work on time also the volumes of trains will increase”.
Mbalula said we will work with Jacob Mamabolo the Roads and Transport (MEC) member of executive committee in the province to solve various challenges that people are facing including potholes, unworthy taxis and most importantly their working on solving the driver’s license issues and he is adamant that they will meet the deadline for renewals and will address the media on Thursday.
David Mphelo Acting Group CEO AT Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA)” said that they have 14 substations in Mabopane which is what they repaired to carry the trains that were operating today and in Gauteng they have 49 which the balance of them has to be fixed with the same technology to be as the ones in Mabopane and in order to observe Covid-19 protocols they rely on sanitizing passengers onboard due to the large load that trains carry.”
