Transport Minister Dipuo Peters kick-starts R1 billion PRASA train manufacturing factory at Sod turning
The Minister of Transport Ms. Dipuo Peters will kick start the much-awaited R1 billion PRASA train manufacturing factory process when she turns the sod on Friday, 4 March 2016 to mark the building of a train manufacturing and maintenance plant at Dunnottar, in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
The fifty two (52) hectare plant will enable new passenger trains to be manufactured and maintained locally in South Africa, with only the first 20 sets manufactured in Lapa, Brazil. The plant will create job opportunities and support SMMEs that will be permanently based at the plant as suppliers for the main manufacturing of new trains. Once complete, the state-of-the-art plant will be compatible to other international train manufacturing plants around the world.
About 1500 people will be employed at the plant while an anticipated 19 500 will receive rail-related training also at the site allowing them to find work within the rail industry. PRASA will oversee the manufacturing of components for the new trains manufactured at the plant which has the capacity to manufacture a total of 580 trains or 310 coaches.
Joining Minister Peters during the Sod turning, among others, will be Gauteng Premier Mr. David Makhura, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Mr. 2 Mzwandile Masina, MEC for Transport in Gauteng Dr. Ismael Vadi, City of Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Councillor Mondli Gungubele, CEOs of Transport State Owned Companies, key transport stakeholders and members of the community.
The details of the event are as follows:
Date: Friday, 4 March 2016
Time: 9h00 for 9h30
Venue: Faranani Multipuropse Centre, Tsakane (Ekurhuleni).
Journalists attending the event are requested to confirm their attendance with Sam Monareng on 073 491 3382 or monarens@dot.gov.za.
Enquiries:
Ishmael Mnisi
Cell: 072 566 0827
