NATIONAL NEWS - The official opening of the multibillion-rand locomotive manufacturing plant in Dunnottar on the East Rand was widely welcomed yesterday, but it’s going to be a while before the locomotives – which are costing R51 billion – can be put to work and they may be a white elephant for some time yet.
That’s because the commuter line stations on which they will be used will have to undergo major renovations, including to their platforms, which are not the same height as the train doors.
Another major problem is a safety permit furore between the Rail Safety Regulator (RSR) and the Passenger Rail Authority of South Africa (Prasa), thanks to the collapse of the signalling system.
This culminated in a court order last week preventing any new stock being allowed to hit the tracks.
On Wednesday, finance minister Tito Mboweni called for better project management.
A joint exercise between Gibela shareholders Alstom (61%), Ubumbano Rail (30%) and New Africa Rail (39%), the plant is expected to deliver two new locomotives by December, nine by March 2019 and an estimated 56 locomotives over the next two years.
The entire R51 billion contract was for 600 XTtrapolis Mega locomotives over 10 years for Prasa, of which 20 were already manufactured in Brazil, according to Alstom, and the other 580 will now be built in Dunnottar, creating up to 1 500 jobs.
Gibela claims on its website that the trains – which are currently undergoing tests on a 23km-long line outside Pretoria – will have easy access for passengers with disabilities or those with prams.
