RSR issues prohibition directive to Prasa
The RSR has issued a prohibition directive to Prasa for operating trains under abnormal working conditions.
The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) has issued the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) Gauteng Region with a prohibition directive in terms of Section 36 of the National Railway Safety Regulator Act No16 2002 (as amended) for abnormal working conditions, that is, manually authorising train movements, which led to the Elandsfontein train collision.
The collision occurred on the morning of June 1 at about 6.39am when a Metro Express train travelling from Pretoria to Johannesburg collided with another Prasa train, which was moving out of the Elandsfontein yard.
This occurrence resulted in a fatality, injuries to the train crew and more than 100 passengers.
The RSR’s preliminary investigation into this occurrence revealed that there was cable theft on the night before, which affected the track circuits and signals in the section between Isando and Elandsfontein.
This necessitated abnormal working conditions.
The preliminary investigation further revealed that two trains were authorised into a section at the same time, thus indicating poor management and unsafe execution of the manual authorisation process.
The Elandsfontein occurrence has prompted the Railway Safety Regulator to consider the history of similar occurrences in the Gauteng region where Prasa failed to operate trains safely during abnormal working conditions.
The operator is, therefore, directed to immediately cease operating trains in the Prasa Gauteng Region under abnormal working conditions.
Trains will be operated only when normal operating conditions have been restored.
Failure to comply with the directive is an offence in terms of Section 45 of Act 16 of 2002 as amended, (National Railway Safety Regulator Act) and will result in criminal charge and/or a penalty being imposed in terms of the Penalty Fee Regulations 2011 as amended.
The RSR remains committed to its mandate and in ensuring that safety is the underpinning principle on railway operations at all times.
Related articles:
Update – Single line shuttle service introduced after Elandsfontein train collision
Update – Signalling cable theft blamed for train collision in Elandsfontein – says Prasa
BREAKING NEWS – One dead and over 100 injured in Metrorail collision in Elandsfontein
Have a story?
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, Leigh Hodgson (journalist) leighh@caxton.co.za or Puleng Sekabate pulengs@caxton.co.za.
Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:
Or add the GCN on WhatsApp 079 406 1181 or BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137) today, to get all the latest news.
Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers Bedfordview Edenvale News, Alberton Record and Kempton Express.
