Weekend Argus reports that Cape Town commuters have slammed the six months they have been told by the management of the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) to wait before Metrorail reinstates its Central line.   

The line has been suspended indefinitely for the last three months due to ongoing vandalism.  Prasa’s administrator, Bongisizwe Mpondo, explained that extensive damage to infrastructure on the Central line would take a while to fix and he went on to indicate:  “What we seek to do is formally close the line and begin a process of upgrade for the infrastructure itself and ensure that we properly fence off the line so that it is not easy to access the network.”  With the MyCiTi Express Service, which services both Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain, suspended, commuters in both areas have had to make do with alternative transport.  Metrorail also faces challenges with longer travel times along the Southern and Cape Flats lines due to service restrictions, as well as the resignalling of Transnet’s freight rail affecting parts of the Northern line.  Arson attacks have also plagued the rail system, with another carriage having been torched last week at Retreat station.  

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tshego Lepule at Weekend Argus

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