MEDIA STATEMENT
Attention News Editors/Transport Writers/All Reporters
For immediate release: 18 February 2020
RSR PROHIBITS PRASA’S SHOSHOLOZA MEYL OPERATIONS
The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) has concluded its preliminary investigation into the collision of a PRASA Train 17005 and a TFR Train 8139 at Horison station in Roodepoort, Gauteng Province on 12 February 2020 to determine the facts which contributed to the accident. The preliminary investigation confirms the following:
• The trains in question were manually authorised onto the section and the speed data shows that the PRASA train was travelling at 60 km/h at the time of impact. This exceeds the 30 km/h speed restriction imposed on a line that is operated under manual authorisation.
• Furthermore, the inquiry indicates that both trains were manually authorised by the Maraisburg Central Traffic Control (CTC) Center and the authorities for both the goods and passenger trains were not countersigned by the Section Manager. The latter is a serious contravention of a Special Condition that was issued to PRASA by the RSR upon the issuing of the current Temporary Operating Permit. PRASA was placed under judicial supervision and ordered by the court to comply with the conditions imposed on the Operating Permit. According to this Special Condition, all manual authorisation must be countersigned by the Section Managers.
Consequently, the RSR has issued PRASA with a Prohibition Directive. The Directive prohibits all Shozaloza Meyl operations with immediate effect.
The safety of commuters and the workforce is our utmost priority. The RSR will ensure that PRASA honours this prohibition and manages it in such a manner that improves levels of safety before the RSR will lift the prohibition.The RSR therefore recommends a Board of Inquiry (BOI) with the main objective of determining the facts of the occurrence, the immediate and underlying causes, and will make recommendations with the intent to prevent or reduce the risk of similar occurrences.
ENDS
Dr Nomusa Zethu Qunta (Chairperson), Mr Boy Johannes Nobunga (Deputy Chairperson), Ms Tshepo Kgare (Acting CEO), Mr Christiaan Johan de Vos,
Major-General Michael Monashi Motlhala, Ms Hilda Thamaga Thopola, Major-General Willem Adriaan Venter, Ms Ntombizine Mbiza,
Mr Andre Harrison, Mr Tibor Szana, Ms Irene Nthulane, Mr Jan-David de Villiers
Email:
helpdesk@rsr.org.za | Twitter: Rail_Safety | Facebook: Railway Safety Regulator | Website:
www.rsr.org.za
