BusinessLive reports that according to transport minister Blade Nzimande, negotiations between the national government and the City of Cape Town, which could see the metro taking over the management of commuter rail services, were continuing.  

In 2017 Cape Town announced it intended to take over the management of commuter rail to avert the “total collapse” of rail services in the city, where rail is considered the backbone of public transport.  The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) is responsible for delivering rail services, but its subsidiary, Metrorail, has been under pressure because its rail commuter services have been in a serious state of decline caused by decades of underinvestment, outdated technology, the loss of critical skills, deferred maintenance and corruption.  Responding to a parliamentary question, Nzimande said the city had been requested to demonstrate that it would be able to fund the functions, on the basis that there would be no guaranteed funding from the national department of transport.  Nzimande noted that the National Land Transport Act enabled the rail function to be assigned to the most appropriate sphere of government.  The city previously stated that under its plan, Metrorail would continue to provide the transport service, while the metro would maintain and operate the infrastructure.

• Read the full original of Bekezela Phakathi’s report in the above regard at BusinessLive

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page