Ongoing loadshedding is undermining the ability of PRASA (the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa) to keep its commuter services running.

I was informed that many rail commuters who are in possession of weekly and monthly tickets were left stranded at stations all over greater Cape Town and surrounding areas because loadshedding yesterday had made train scheduling software unstable.

In order to get to where they needed to be, these commuters had to spend time and money to make up for Metrorail’s failure to render a reliable service. The situation continues today.

Loadshedding is likely to be with us for some time into the future and I find it hard to believe that a power failure can make our most basic public transport system falter so easily. The Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works has made, and continues to make, a significant investment in the public transport system.

I call upon PRASA and the National Department of Transport to do what is necessary to protect the massive national investment in our commuter rail assets so that commuters can once again rely on railways getting them to work, to school and to amenities on time.

It can no longer be that commuters have to pay for the continuous failures of state-owned entities.

Media Queries:   

Ntomboxolo Makoba-Somdaka

Spokesperson for Minister Daylin Mitchell

Cell: 082 953 0026

Email: Ntomboxolo.Makoba-Somdaka@westerncape.gov.za