Dam Rail - the end?!

[John Ashworth]

See attached story It’s A Sad End Of The Line For The Historic Pretoria-Magaliesberg Choo-tjoe Train Line from the Madibeng Pulse, Monday 17 January 2011, by Dolf Dreyer.

It is interesting, though, to hear from the intrepid journalist that South African Railways apparently still exists ("South African Railways who operated the line for many decades has cancelled the servitudes for the railway line and awarded a contract for the salvaging of the steel tracks, the cables and the sleepers to a Pretoria firm"). Whither Transnet and even Spoornet?

[Steve Appleton]

Sloppy journalism indeed. Worse is that the story refers internally to "SARS", the current acronym for "SA Revenue Services". The old railways abbreviation was "SAR" in English and "SAS" in Afrikaans, sometimes, but not officially so far as I know, written as SAR-S.

The story is poorly researched and does not mention nor interview either:"Kwena Rail" or "Dam Rail", two of the main organisations that have a publically expressed an interest in operating a concession (with considerable potential benefit to the communities in the area) over this line in terms of the call for such expressions by Transnet a few months ago, but not yet adjudicated. It would indeed seem strange that TFR is allegedly lifting the line with such an application outstanding, prejuding all parties (themselves included) involved in that process. A similar thing commenced recently in the eastern Free State which was immediately challenged and, so far as I know, won by the applicants.

As an indication of further unresearched questions, there is a possible issue surrounding the legality of arbitrarily terminating old railway servitudes and "handing" the property back. This I understand was also challenged a while back for some other branch line because those servitudes are a national asset and were obtained by act of Parliament, a body that is believed to be the only one with the power to dissolve them. This could possibly need the enactment of some specific new legislation.

This thing smells. Possibly fraud or theft or land-hijacking or all three. Hidden agendas perhaps?

[John Ashworth]

Letter to Transnet from an interested party concerned about our railway heritage:

I attach an article from the 'Madibeng Pulse' a local community newspaper,
saying that landowners have been approached by salvagers in Pretoria to lift
the track on the Hercules Magaliesburg line, and that they are doing this
under a contract awarded to them by 'South African Railways'.

There was an article in June last year using the same photo which I also
attach, written by the same journalist. The land alongside the track in the
area of the dam is very sensitive, and now has great potential value as it
lies next to many prestigious and high profile developments. Already
several illegal encroachments have taken place to expand the properties
adjacent to the line. (e.g by Pecanwood School, Pecanwood Estate, Maccon
Construction, Xanadu Ecoworld....)

The suggestion in the article that servitudes can easily be returned to
their original owners is, we suspect, one of the reasons why the track is
under such constant attack. Track lifting, apparently sanctioned by
Transnet, is under way at the moment.

Please clarify the status of the servitudes on this line, as requested in my
question on the concessioning process last year -

"Has the legal status of all land on which the lines are built been clearly
established?"

It was our understanding from a previous legal person in Transnet that the
servitudes had been obtained under an Act of Parliament, and it would
require an Act for the land to be returned to its original owners. The
servitudes can not just be 'cancelled' as suggested in the article.

Reply from Transnet:

Please be advised that Transnet took urgent action this afternoon and
perpetrators were arrested. Since this matter is still 'hot' and further
action to follow tomorrow, we will rest with this response for now.

Thank you for bringing the matter under our attention.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

The fact the story may be sloppy etc does not detract from the fact this is happening....... and has been allowed to happen.

Infrastructure is dissappearing everywhere.

I wrote about Grootvlei - with the power station now in full swing again, the line was restored to operational status - or was it?

http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... =146&t=710

I will post more on this when I have the time!

[John Ashworth]

The positive thing is that someone wrote to Transnet and they responded so quickly and effectively. Well done, Transnet!

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

They responded, but what they done?

Does this response mean Dam Rail will be saved? If so, good.

Does it mean they wil explain what happened? If so good.

They will put steps in place to stop this happening elsewhere? Excellent.

[John Ashworth]

Well, they seem to have got the perpetrators arrested, and they suggest that there is ongoing action. That's a very prompt and positive start. Will it save Dam Rail? Who knows, but at least it should ensure that the track remains in place. Is it really Transnet's responsibility to explain a crime perpetrated against them? Will they stop it happening elsewhere? Probably not - there have been recent news articles on this forum reporting theft of track as far apart as Mexico and UK. You can't necessarily prevent it, but if Transnet continues to respond as quickly and effectively as they did on this occasion then surely that's a good sign?

[Steve Appleton]

John, I totally agree with you. This is a positive sign. The people that were arrested are probably the tip of a huge iceberg, but for each time someone is caught it would reduce or maybe reverse the upward trend which would tend towards exponential otherwise.

As for Dam Rail, the first step is to get a concession granted: a process that still has several steps to go, assuming that Transnet even continue with the process. Following that there are many other steps to establishing a viable business; capital to raise and risks to overcome - let alone physically repairing and reinstating the track. A mountain to climb.