Gautrain: Trains cancelled due to cable theft

[Steve Appleton]

Just heard on Classic FM news that Gautrain trains on part of the Hatfield to Sandton route have been cancelled this morning (Wednesday 10 August 2011) due to cable theft at a sub-station. Passengers are apparently being bussed around the problem area.

[Steve Appleton]

From "Times Live" website 10 August 2011.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2011/0 ... able-theft

Gautrain service disrupted by cable theft
Sapa, 10 August, 2011 07:08

The Gautrain service between Pretoria, Hatfield and Centurion was disrupted due to cable theft, says a statement on the Gautrain website. The disruption was caused by cable theft at a sub-station and was expected to be repaired by 10AM on Wednesday morning.

According to the statement, a bus service between Hatfield, Pretoria and Centurion was running as an interim measure. This would double the frequency of the service from 12 minutes to 24 minutes.

"The Gautrain sincerely apologises to its commuters for this inconvenience," the statement said.

[Marc Russell]

Has anyone from the forum been on the latest leg of the Gautrain experience? It all sounds rather exciting. Finally Joburg gets public transport it deserves!!

[Rob Jamieson]

I did a trip from Hatfiled to Midrand over the weekend and must say that despite it being extremely busy, it was great. The stations and trains are spotless and everythig ran smoothly. Just can't believe how quiet the train is when travelling at 160km/h.

[Steve Appleton]

Gautrain cancelled between Hatfield, Pretoria and Centurion yet again today (Tuesday 16 Aug 2011) due to cable theft; second time in a week!!!
Also not running between Sandton and Rosebank due to "technical reasons".
From Timeslive website, http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2011/0 ... ce-resumes

Gautrain services between Rosebank and Sandton stations resumed by mid-morning on Tuesday, the company said.

"We again apologise to those passengers who were inconvenienced this morning as a result of cable theft," spokesman Errol Braithwaite said in a statement.

Earlier on Tuesday commuters were told the Sandton and Rosebank line was closed, and so was the service between Hatfield, Pretoria and Centurion, for the second time in two weeks.

Bus shuttle services ran between Rosebank and Sandton, and Hatfield and Centurion every 20 minutes to transport stranded commuters.

The Democratic Alliance said it was concerned by a second failure, in less than a week, "of the so-called 'world-class' Gautrain".

"The excuse that cable theft is to blame has a hollow ring, especially when one considers that one of the most important questions posed to the department was: could the consortium deal with the high theft rate of copper products in South Africa?" spokesman Neil Campbell said.

In a statement he said that assurances were given that cables would be buried under concrete, but it now seemed that not all cables were 'thief-proof'.

He said the "excuse" of technical difficulties given for the failure of the Sandton and Rosebank line belittled the Gauteng taxpayer.

If existing security measures were incapable of stopping theft, more security should be provided by the consortium. If not, the Gautrain would become "nothing more than exceedingly expensive white elephant".

"We deserve a reliable service after spending so much taxpayer's money, not an additional bus service," Campbell said.

From News24 website, http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ ... s-20110816

Gautrain hit by cable theft, leaks
2011-08-16 07:47

Johannesburg - Gautrain services have been suspended yet again between Hatfield, Pretoria and Centurion due to cable theft, the SABC reported on Tuesday.

This was the second time in a month that services were suspended because of cable theft.

The multi-billion rand transport system would also not be operational between Sandton and Rosebank stations in Johannesburg due to water leakages.

According to the report, buses would ferry passengers to their destinations.

- Gautrain Twitter feed
- SAPA

From Timeslive website, http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2011/0 ... able-theft

Twitter users suggest ways to stop Gautrain cable theft
Times LIVE | 16 August, 2011 10:571 Comments

One user, @mtyala, asked: "Is there nothing we can do about cable theft? What happened this morning is too embarrassing."

And while many people around Gauteng - and the Gautrain operators themselves - were wondering the same thing, some Tweeters offered some advice on how the issue should be combated.

One user, @pfangirl, tweeted: "Time to start booby trapping the Gautrain line, me thinks. Hard to steal when landmines have taken off your legs and hands."

@TheRealGroome also had advice to offer the makers of the Gautrain: "I knew we should've made the Gautrain run on bluetooth!"

On a more serious note, @Mabine_Seabe tweeted: "The Gautrain is a great transport project but I think the metro rail system should have been upgraded and expanded instead."

@king2m thought it best to stop the bus services in the meantime, tweeting: "Gautrain is in crisis and they r busy wasting diesel on empty buses which are floating around Gauteng."

User @ArtwellDlamini suggested security be tightened: "Gautrain could improve security. The task is daunting: Gautrain rail network covers 80km area."

@jedimastersa believed the makers of the train should have planned the project better: "Surely things like cable theft were thought of before the project started?"

Another user, @Real_Thato, reckoned that the cables needed to be moved: "When u put cables in public what do u expect? Ans : Izinyoka @gautrain, put those cables underground this is Mzansi." 'Izinyoka' is a Zulu word for snakes and has been used in public service announcements to refer to cable thieves.

Most users lamented the thefts and their implications.

Tweeted @GlennEkron23: "Gautrain although good in theory is pretty useless if not running. Ppl will quickly lose trust in the service."

@Mlindos85 agreed, tweeting: "Gautrain is followed by scandals after scandals..."

@mjubes tweeted: "All we hear about Gautrain is no buses, trains, water leaks, cable theft, boy's head slam. After billions spent why cant they get it right?"

A user named @MizzBho tweeted: "As a nation we still have a long way to go if wonderful things like the Gautrain are gonna be disturbed by something as lame as cable theft"

@maddog_sa shared the same sentiment, tweeting: "It's a sad indictment of society, when a project this important to the SA economy is crippled by economic terrorism!"

Other users were despondent about the service.

@JoziGoddess tweeted: "I'm starting to think that Gautrain is Putco in drag!"

@The_Pofmuis: "I'm starting to think the Gautrain is a prototype, its not actually supposed to work... Not designed to last!" while @Onke_ agreed, tweeting: "This Gautrain is doomed I tell you...doomed!"

Cable thieves weren't a very popular bunch, with many users condemning their actions.

@ClaudesixL tweeted: "Gautrain cables stolen?!!?! South Africans might as well resort to using donkeys as transport!", while @SiyandaN tweeted: "World class transport but still the same izinyoka, these guys need to get jobs."

@ThabisoSithole tweeted: "So, the Gautrain is once again stopped by some idiots who stole cables from the tracks. Not sure what we South Africans want sometimes."

[Derek Walker]

I would have thought that they would have procured a few diesel locos for eventualities like this (which are going to happen again and again).

[Steve Appleton]

procured a few diesel locos for eventualities like this

Or steam locos!
See recent cartoon at:
http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... 263&t=8616

[Steve Appleton]

From Business Day, 18 August 2011. http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/C ... ?id=151188

Bombela to spend more on fighting Gautrain cable theft.
Gautrain spokeswoman says a "very high-level" meeting on security has been held and a task team was put in place.
NICKY SMITH
Published: 2011/08/19 08:03:45 AM

THE Bombela Operating Company, operator of the Gautrain, will have to spend more money protecting the service from sabotage arising from copper cable theft. Days after commissioning its long-awaited Pretoria network, the Gautrain had to contend with the disruption of service after thieves stole cable from the system.

"To fight the cable theft is going to cost but we have to address the issue," Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) CEO Jack van der Merwe said yesterday. "There is a massive drive to understand where the hotspots are. How do we preserve the perception that the train is a reliable option? The only thing I can sell with a train is predictability and that is in jeopardy," Mr van der Merwe said.

Gautrain spokeswoman Barbara Jensen said a "very high-level" meeting on security was held yesterday, and a task team was put in place.

Also hard hit by cable theft was the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, which operates the Metrorail commuter train services, as well as power utility Eskom, phone company Telkom and municipalities.

Mr van der Merwe said the issue needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency. "We are addressing this, we are taking it very seriously," he said , declining to provide details.

The Gautrain’s Joburg-Pretoria link was launched on August 2 and has twice been halted after copper cabling, used to electrify the system, was ripped out of the ground. Thieves had made off with 200m of cabling, Bombela spokesman Errol Braithwaite said earlier this week.

Democratic Alliance transport MP in the Gauteng legislature Neil Campbell said yesterday that closed- circuit television cameras needed to be installed, suggesting the track could be linked to an alarm system operated by a rapid response team. "The concessionaire must be forced to safeguard the operation of the system," he said.

The GMA has repeatedly highlighted its concerns about the vulnerability of the train system to theft of copper cables, most recently in its report to provincial government. However, Mr van der Merwe said that the province would not have to foot the cost of combating cable theft because the cost "contractually" is with Bombela.

[Steve Appleton]

From Business Day, 18 August 2011. http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/C ... ?id=151186

Copper theft is a form of economic sabotage — Peters.
Peters says cable theft was a form of economic sabotage that disrupted service delivery in energy.
LINDA ENSOR
Published: 2011/08/19 08:03:41 AM

CAPE TOWN — Cable theft, which cost the economy hundreds of millions of rand annually, was a form of economic sabotage that disrupted service delivery in energy, transport and telecommunications, Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said in Parliament yesterday. Addressing a media briefing on the infrastructure cluster, she said cable theft should be treated as a major economic offence. Legislative amendments have been proposed so that cable theft was no longer regarded as petty theft that allowed people to get off "scot free".

This week, the multibillion-rand Gautrain was disrupted because of cable theft. Speaking at the same event, Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele said discussions were under way with the Department of Police and Department of Justice to intensify the fight against cable theft. "This market must be closed," Mr Ndebele said, noting that eight people were arrested yesterday while stealing copper cable from the ERPM mine in Boksburg.

Department of Energy deputy director-general Ompi Aphane said the direct cost of cable theft in the electricity sector alone was almost R100m but the indirect costs were much more substantial because of the disruption to the economy.