LOCAL
Cape Town mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, has formally invited minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, to assemble a working committee on the devolution of urban rail functions. This follows Mbalula’s remarks that the City of Cape Town is ‘leading the way’ in the devolution of passenger rail in South Africa.
Mbalula had responded to a question by DA Shadow Minister of Transport, Chris Hunsinger, wherein he agreed that the devolution of railway operations would alleviate the challenges experienced by the industry. His stance was reiterated during a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly last week, discussing commuter safety with heavy duty trucks regularly on the road.
Briefing the media last week, Mbalula indicated inter-departmental collaboration with the Department of Public Enterprises, to shift freight operations from the road to the railways in the next five years. He spoke on the heels of a tragic crash between a truck and a bakkie near Pongola in in KwaZulu-Natal mid-September, which claimed 21 lives including 18 primary school children.
The minister has been spear-heading the White Paper on National Rail Policy, which was approved by cabinet in March this year. Devolution is among the resolutions requiring investment and revamping of urban and local travel.
The City of Cape Town had thereafter, in April, received the go-ahead to conduct a detailed feasibility study on the option. Hill-Lewis said despite the verbal support and that the study is underway, more action is needed form the minister to expedite the processes.
“The City of Cape Town is currently busy with its feasibility study into the devolution and assignment of the urban rail function to the metro. To ensure the success of the study, it is critically important that necessary financial and technical information associated with operating the current rail system in Cape Town is provided by PRASA and the Department of Transport,” said Hill-Lewis.
“The scope of the Working Committee — in conjunction with the City’s rail feasibility study — will ensure close cooperation between the national and city governments to ensure the success of rail devolution in South Africa. It would also enable the two governments to work together to improve rail services in Cape Town, even before devolution occurs,” he added.
The DA in the Western Cape concurred that the devolution of rail networks “is a step in the right direction to ensure safe and affordable travel.”
Tauhierah Salie Solomon