Passengers stranded over festive season in Prasa’s long-distance rail debacle

[John Ashworth]

Passengers stranded over festive season in Prasa’s R100m long-distance rail debacle

Despite warnings that SA’s dilapidated rail network was not ready, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) last month signed a locomotive lease deal and relaunched long-distance trains — with disastrous consequences for festive season travellers. The locomotive deal — worth R130m signed with a company Prasa has declined to name — was finalised just days after the agency fired its group CEO Zolani Matthews. He had allegedly been reluctant to sign the 11-month lease after its Mainline Passenger Service (MLPS) warned that the infrastructure was not ready to run the Shosholoza Meyl trains...

[John Ashworth]

PRASA responds to the article posted above:

PRASA: Mainline Passenger Services Endeavour’s To Continue Providing Its Social Service; Improve Reliability & On time Performance

PRASA Media statement

PRASA notes the article published in the Sunday Times on the 23rd of January 2022 titled “Passengers stranded over the festive season in Prasa’s R130m long-distance rail debacle”. While we do not want to enter a debate with the publication, it is prudent that we clarify some of the issues raised in the article...