Programme Director
Director-General of Transport Mr George Mahlalela
CEO of Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa Mr Lucky Montana
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
On Tuesday, one of the most significant projects in our country’s public transport system, the Gautrain officially touched down and commenced operating. With the launch of the Gautrain yesterday we have surely moved passenger services in this country into the stratosphere. Travelling in South Africa will never be the same again.
The development of transport is a prerequisite for a country to develop. Without transport we simply cannot move goods and people. That constraint which comes as a result of a lack of transport ensures that a country’s economy cannot breathe; it ensures that a country’s economy cannot grow.
Today we again confirm our intention not only to become part of the growing and developed world. We also confirm our readiness to use transport as a means to bridge the gaps which were created by apartheid and which divides our country into two: the developed world which was inhabited by White people and the underdeveloped world which was the supposed to be the natural habitat of black people.
In this regard, yesterday we opened the R59 million Windermere train station which is located opposite Century City in Cape Town. On Monday 7 June 2010 we opened the new R140million Moses Mabhida Train Station in Durban. Last week on 2 June, we opened the newly refurbished R70 million state-of-the-arts Nasrec Station in Gauteng.
Today we are in the historic township of Orlando opening a state of the art station. This infrastructure prepares our country to receive and transport the tens of thousands of people who will be passing through the length and breadth of our country during the World Cup in 2010. In year 2010, a decade into the 21st century, it should not matter if a country in the World Cup wants to play a friendly here in Soweto or in Sandton, the facilities should just be there.
On our side we will ensure that transport facilities continue to bridge this divide between the past and our future, increasing mobility and accessibility for commuters during the tournament. In all these projects we are looking at cementing a legacy in transport that will take South Africa to new heights and become a living reminder about where we want to take our country.
As a country we have decided that the future belongs to an integrated public transport system consisting of trains, buses, taxis and aeroplanes. This is the ultimate answer to our country’s public transport challenges. This is a certain way of ensuring that our country sheds its past history of division according to race and geography and to unveil a future that bridges distance and brings all parts of our country’s communities together.
Today’s official launch of the R63 million refurbished Orlando Railway Station is another stage in this journey from our different pasts into a single future. In that single future we envisage our townships and suburbs, our rural and urban areas as no longer belonging to different countries but to one nation that is ready to welcome the world and to face any challenges in its way.
Passenger rail transport is an integral part of our public transport system. Based on this approach Cabinet took a decision in 2004 to consolidate rail passenger entities and the consolidation entailed transfer of Metrorail into SARCC, transfer of Shosholoza Meyl, transfer of Autopax (City to City and Translux) and the establishment of PRASA. In this regard PRASA has undertaken to arrest the decline of our rail infrastructure through the accelerated rolling stock programme and to focus on service excellence.
To date, PRASA has refurbished over 2 000 coaches and brought them into service. There has been an increase in Commuter Passenger Trips by 22% from 2005 to 2010 from 529 million passenger trips per annum to 646.15 million passenger trips. Through PRASA we have introduced new services in King Williamstown to East London, the Khayelitsha service, New Express services to Johannesburg and Northern Star from Strand to Cape Town.
Besides the major milestones in passenger rail projects the rail utility remains under immense pressure with regard to the following:
* Rolling stock reliability and availability.
* Demand for additional services and capacity currently there is limited network and rolling stock capacity.
* Increased input costs (i.e.) labour, energy and material.
* Sharp increase in capital investment without commensurate increase in operational subsidies.
* Human Resources capacity and skills to rationalise operations, maintain, sustain and expand the network.
* Shortage of funding for critical upgrade and maintenance work, for example drainage, stray currents and track maintenance.
As far back as 2000, PRASA had a challenge of budgetary constraints. To sustain an efficient commuter rail system a huge capital injection is needed. The biggest challenge for PRASA in capital investment is to obtain the correct balance between sustaining the current system whilst starting to modernise the system through migration to more contemporary technologies.
There are growing commuter travel needs and limited service and line capacities are being experienced in the system due to current system and technology limitations. Yet in spite of these challenges the agency plays a huge role in transporting part of the 64% commuters who use public transport. Rail transport that is safe and reliable will transform the lives of many of our people as they travel to places of employment, homes, hospitals and entertainment.
According to our integrated public transport system, stations are conveniently serviced by dedicated and distributer services for passengers up to 10 kilometres from stations. Easy transfers between trains and other forms of transport such as the Bus Rapid Transit services and taxis will bring accessibility and an improved service for our people. In addition, railways ensure that traffic congestion is reduced while environmentally harmful carbon emissions can be removed.
In closing let me take this opportunity to once more re-iterate to our commuters that vandalism on our trains and stations is a serious offence and will lead to stiff jail sentences. We have invested billions of rand in railway infrastructure development. We would like to see a firm commitment from our people that the responsibility for the transport infrastructure depends on us.
Once again we wish all our 2010 FIFA World Cup visitors and spectators a fantastic and memorable stay in the Republic of South Africa.
As we say, the FIFA World Cup is not just about sport, It is about transport.
Thank you!
Issued by: Department of Transport
10 June 2010
Source: Sapa
