Fin24 reports that Metrorail services in the Western Cape are due to get no less than R8bn in new investment to improve ailing infrastructure, according to Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi.  

He told Parliamentarians on Tuesday that his ministry was working to address the inefficiencies in the province, made worse by instances of vandalism and arson.  He stated:  "Metrorail in the main should be fully functional.  In the Western Cape alone we are going to spend not less than R8bn to improve the Metrorail services.  There are problems of vandalism which have been reported here on several occasions.  We have also raised the matter of security with the Minister of Police."  Maswanganyi also indicated that they have made progress in repairing train tracks and carriages that had been set alight in the Cape Town metro and elsewhere in the province.  They were confident of restoring around 60 full "sets", consisting of 12 coaches each, and bringing them back into the system.

• Read this report by Paul Herman in full at Fin24

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