(Ecofin Agency) – Having the densest rail network on the continent, South Africa is however unable to take advantage of this important asset. According to James Holley, CEO of Traxtion, only a third of the country’s 36,000 km of rail is currently in use.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), a public company in charge of passenger rail transport, will receive funding of 13.5 billion rand (approximately $859 million) in the financial year 2024-2025 to restore rail services in several suburbs.
Presenting his department’s annual budget to Parliament, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said that part of the funds will be used to renovate the coaches, as well as to finance the renewal program of the rolling stock fleet of the agency, signage, security and other capital projects.
It is therefore an additional allocation of nearly one billion rand that can be seen in the 2024-2024 budget compared to the 12.6 billion rand approved in 2022-2023. The increase is justified by the scope of the repairs to be made and the timetable that PRASA has set itself, namely December 2022, to relaunch rail services on the priority corridors identified.
In South Africa, vandalism and anarchic occupation of the perimeters of railway installations have become real obstacles to the normal operation of rail transport, causing the closure of several corridors. The evil has not only affected passenger rail services, but also freight transport with its share of negative impacts on port activities, mining and traffic flow.
Henoc Dossa
