The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture has heard how former CEO of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) Lucky Montana allegedly acquired several properties with the help of Precise Trade and Investment, a company owned by Loubser Van der Walt. According to the report, Van der Walt had done legal work for TMM Holdings, a company with close links to Seyangena which scored multi-million-rand contract at the […]
The City of Cape Town has given the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) until Friday to pay its debt or face the disconnection of services on Monday. The City’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Finance, Ian Neilson, says Prasa has repeatedly failed to pay municipal rates and services debts totalling approximately R114 million, of which R98 million is the arrears amount. He says the disconnection of services […]
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says train services have been fully restored in the Western Cape after the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) paid its outstanding bill to Eskom. Eskom had earlier terminated the electricity supply due to non-payment, resulting in thousands of commuters being stranded during the afternoon peak on Thursday. The Khayelitsha, Eerste River, Strand and Tafelbaai sub-stations were affected. Mbalula said Eskom had cited an overdue […]
As if the province's transport woes can't any worse, the entire Western Cape rail network is temporarily suspended with immediate effect due to Eskom disconnecting traction supply. Its believed the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) owes Eskom millions in unpaid power bills. No trains are operating at present, leaving 289 000 commuters without rail transport this afternoon. In a statement today, PRASA said the cut of traction power […]
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has again called for people who steal copper cables to be charged with economic sabotage. Mbalula says the current practice in which criminals are charged with theft enables them to be released on bail, then steal again because cable theft is lucrative. Briefing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Transport – on the appointment of an administrator to turn Prasa on Tuesday – Mbalula said charging cable thieves […]
A R1.4bn "mega project" has been presented to Khayelitsha community stakeholders to resuscitate its practically defunct rail service, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa said on Thursday. Newly appointed administrator Bongisizwe Mpondo and several of his technical team reported back to local leaders two weeks after an initial meeting, where he discussed a plan to restore the Cape Town's busiest line which has been closed since October due to […]
by Tauhierah Salie The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is determined to hold government accountable for failing public transport services in Cape Town, through protest action in February. Delayed or cancelled trains, congested buses, the probability of being robbed or assaulted, risk of losing your job and constant battle to stay on top of your finances; are among the issues commuters in the Mother City grapple with on […]
Twenty four disused Shosholoza Meyl train carriages were burnt at Bloemfontein railway station on Saturday, with a group of youths coming under suspicion after they had been chased out of the yard. Passenger Rail Agency of SA spokesperson Lilian Mofokeng said security staff saw a group of young men at the train yard on Saturday and moved them. "The youths it seems returned and deliberately set fire to two old […]
Two Hanover Park women were arrested after they were found in possession of 50 metres of Prasa cable. The City of Cape Town's Metal Theft and Rail Enforcement Units responded to a tip-off on Friday morning. Upon arrival at a residence, officers spotted two men who fled the scene. The City's Law Enforcement's Wayne Dyason said the men fled before officers could apprehend them. "The officers entered the property and […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
