Latest train flaw needs an inquiry, Cyril

What is it with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and its apparent inability to take accurate measurements? Because of that, it ends up buying trains which are the wrong size.

We reported this week that the doors of the new, highly touted commuter trains the corporation has signed up to buy – for R51 billion – are too low for the current station platforms. This will necessitate the expenditure of further billions in correcting the flaw.

There are echoes of a previous Prasa stroke of genius a few years ago, when the corporation bought a batch of diesel locomotives which were found to be too tall to use on the current rail network: they would have been unable to pass under some bridges and would have damaged overhead electricity cable infrastructure.

The latest deal – which includes a serious supposed sweetener for the country in that many of the train sets will be made here – has raised barely an eyebrow.

But how bizarre is it that you, as a rail operator, do not ask your supplier – right at the beginning of negotiations – whether the rolling stock can be made to fit your system? Doing it in this way flies in the face of sensible business practice, because it is the procurement tail wagging the dog.

Prasa is to spend R172 billion (at today’s prices, never mind what that amount might balloon to in the future) over the next 10 years on improving its infrastructure. Although there will be a major makeover of facilities at stations and signalling equipment too, a significant chunk of that money will go towards fixing up the platforms.

Surely this is more wasteful expenditure by a state-owned enterprise?

Seeing as we are already in “commission of inquiry” mode – perhaps here’s another one, President Ramaphosa.

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