Engineering News reports that the SA government will be spending about R38-billion over the next three years on the procurement of new trains for the Metrorail service, as well as on the modernisation of signalling systems, depots, perway and stations.  

New transport minister Fikile Mbalula indicated at the Africa Rail conference on Wednesday:  “The expenditure will ensure that the current Metrorail system is modernised to deliver a safe, reliable and efficient rail service.”  He said that 22 trains of a planned fleet of 600 new trains had already been delivered to Metrorail, with four of those produced in SA, at the Gibela plant, in Nigel.  Mbalula said that Metrorail, operated by the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), had already commissioned new signalling systems on selected corridors, as part of R10-billion programme aimed at improving efficiency and safety on the commuter rail system.  Regarding safety on trains, Mbalula indicated:  “We’ll ensure that there is proper policing on the trains and we’ll do that working hand in hand with the minister of police, because, in terms of the South African Constitution, policing resides with the minister of police.  In this regard we’ll work with him in upgrading the policing on our trains.”

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