ANA reports that Gauteng Premier David Makhura said on Tuesday that the provincial government would soon take over the running of trains from the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa).
Speaking at the unveiling of TMH Africa's recently acquired rolling stock manufacturing plant, Makhura said: "In the last sitting of the Gauteng Legislature, we passed the Transport Authority Bill, basically to create a single transport authority in Gauteng. The single transport authority that will be created out of the Bill has been something that is part of our vision for a long time. It is going to integrate the rail system, the buses, the taxi industry into a single, more efficient and reliable transport system in Gauteng." The premier went on to state: "Prasa is going to be devolved to the provincial government. We are now going to be responsible for integrating Prasa and the Gautrain. The new public transport system will just be like the Gautrain by standard, look and feel and efficiency." Last month, Makhura and President Cyril Ramaphosa were stuck for three hours in a Metrorail train during a 45km ride from Mabopane to Pretoria during an ANC election campaign. Makhura detailed the experience as a harrowing one.
- Read the full original of Siphelele Dludla’s report on the above at Independent News
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