Ramaphosa’s Cape Town Prasa launch ‘a political stunt’ – DA

Democratic Alliance (DA) Western Cape premier candidate, Alan Winde said in a statement on Tuesday that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) in Cape Town today to unveil two trains manufactured locally “is a political stunt”.

[WATCH] the new #PRASA trains have arrived at the Cape Town station pic.twitter.com/lctA2q1s5P

— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) April 9, 2019

During his visit, Ramaphosa was briefed on Prasa’s efforts to improve commuter services and to stimulate economic activity and industrialisation through its modernisation programme.

President @CyrilRamaphosa launches #PRASA’s new trains at Cape Town Train Station in the Western Cape. The new trains are manufactured locally as part of the Rail Rolling Stock Fleet Renewal Programme that will see more than 7000 new trains built over a period of 20 years. pic.twitter.com/jgLG1xHjse

— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) April 9, 2019

The unveiling of the two trains follows the president’s recent personal experience of commuter frustration and technical problems between Mabopane and Bosman stations in Pretoria.

A few weeks ago, Ramaphosa, a few ANC officials, and the ANC’s head of elections, Fikile Mbalula, were stuck on a train in Pretoria while on the ANC’s campaign trail.

READ MORE: WATCH: Ramaphosa stuck on train to Bosman train station

Winder said the timing of Ramaphosa’s visit and the unveiling of the two trains was not surprising and was “a political stunt that is unlikely to make any meaningful difference to alleviate the chronic failings of rail in the Western Cape”.

“Today I visited Mitchell’s Plain train station to outline the DA’s plan to deliver a train service that works and runs on time. The station is one of the largest in Cape Town, and should be bustling with commuters – but it is nearly empty. This Mitchells Plain station is almost abandoned, signboards are not working and very few passengers are using trains. On my visit today, only one train arrived in the morning and the next train is scheduled for late this afternoon,” Winde said.

He said the province needs at least 88 train sets to run properly, but only had 36 sets by October last year.

“These are not simply statistics, they translate into a real and lasting impact on commuters. Delayed and cancelled trains can cost passengers their jobs and prevent them from attending school,” Winde said.

He further raised concerns about security on the trains and on platforms and outside the stations, which he said “is almost non-existent”.

“At least 32 people have been murdered in and around trains, yet there have been no working CCTV cameras since 2015. It is unacceptable that our residents who rely on this mode of transport should have to fear for their lives every time they step onto a train.

“This is why nearly 250,000 who used the trains previously no longer do so, shifting the traffic burden onto our roads in buses, taxis, and cars.”

Winde said the DA government in the province had intervened by improving security in Area Central by contributing scrambler bikes to patrol stations, providing high mast lighting, offering a standing reward of R100,000 for anyone providing a tip-off that led to the arrest and conviction of anyone linked to train arson, and have contributed 100 officers to the new Rail Enforcement Unit, which has shown great success in tackling crime.

“The Western Cape government has also introduced the Draft Western Cape Rail Transport Bill, which is currently available for public comment.

“We will fight to have the management and control of rail operations placed in the hands of the province instead of the national government, starting with metro-level control. As long as the train system is controlled by the national government, the Western Cape will continue to bear the brunt of ANC failures. The DA is ready to fight for our residents. We will fight for control of the trains to be placed in the hands of the people of the Western Cape because only the DA has an action plan to deliver a train system that works and runs on time.”

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.