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Public Transport News

PRASA starts rehabilitation work on three Gauteng corridors

By: Irma Venter 17th May 2022 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) says it will terminate rail services on three Gauteng corridors for the next few months to allow for the rehabilitation and restoration of the electrical cables and traction substations that were vandalised or stolen during the Covid-19 Level 5... →

PRASA’s KZN floods repair bill stands at almost R3bn

By: Irma Venter 13th May 2022 The direct cost to restore passenger rail services in KwaZulu-Natal following the recent floods stands at an estimated R2.6-billion to R2.9-billion, says the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). In addition, the loss of fare revenue, owing to the suspension of train services, is... →

Unions in passenger bus wage talks ink 6% wage deal

By: News24Wire 6th May 2022 The South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council (Sarpbac) has announced that unions at the passenger bus wage talks have accepted a 6% wage offer and signed a deal with employers in the sector. This comes after months of tense negotiating between employer representatives and labour at the... →

Intercape urges govt intervention as attacks from taxi industry grow

By: Irma Venter 3rd May 2022 Days after long-distance coach company Intercape went public about a violent campaign waged against the industry by rogue taxi associations, three more of its buses have come under attack in Gauteng. These attacks, which all happened in the last week of April, came after Intercape appealed to... →

Police recover stolen copper in Devland, Johannesburg

By: Schalk Burger 29th April 2022 The South African Police Services (SAPS) raided the premises of a scrap metal dealer in Devland, near Johannesburg, and found a large cache of stolen copper cables. Working on a tip-off, the police officers searched a property and discovered copper cables belonging to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR),... →

WPIC encourages investment in platinum in Earth Day message

By: Schalk Burger 29th April 2022 Industry organisation the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) is encouraging investment in and use of platinum-based technologies that are helping to support greener operations, industries and economies. In a short video marking Earth Day, WPIC chief administrative officer David Badham says... →

Sandton Pause lounge to keep taxi drivers occupied during off-peak times

By: Donna Slater 28th April 2022 A “Pause Lounge” was launched at the JR005 taxi rank, in Sandton, on April 28, to provide taxi drivers on off-peak times after the morning rush with a place to rest, relax and pass time while they wait for the afternoon or evening peak times. Outfitted with a pool table, foosball and table... →

A “Pause Lounge” was launched at the JR005 taxi rank, in Sandton to provide taxi drivers on off-peak times with a place to rest, relax and pass time.

Former PRASA boss must be reinstated, arbitration hearing finds

By: News24Wire 19th April 2022 Axed Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) CEO Zolani Matthews is free to return to his office following an arbitration ruling in his favour. Matthews was placed on precautionary suspension in November last year over a security clearance issue which was related to his dual citizenship.... →

Alstom appoints new CEO for Bombela Maintenance Company

By: Irma Venter 6th April 2022 Alstom Southern Africa has appointed Shumani Madanda as the new CEO of the Bombela Maintenance Company (BMC). In his new role, Madanda will be responsible for strategy and operations, while he will also lead the BMC team as they explore growth opportunities for the company. →

Shumani Madanda

Moove raises $105m to take its African financing model global

By: Irma Venter 18th March 2022 Mobility fintech group Moove has raised $105-million in a Series A2 funding round, consisting of equity and debt. This newest round of funding was led by existing investors, Speedinvest, Left Lane Capital and thelatest.ventures, with participation from new investors, including AfricInvest, MUFG... →

Moove co-CEOs Jide Odunsi and Ladi Delano

Drones successful in deterring railway cable theft syndicates

By: Donna Slater 15th March 2022 Johannesburg-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operator and developer UAV & Drone Solutions (UDS) proposes that government departments and State-owned entities (SOEs) use, to a far greater extent, the services it provides to curb critical infrastructure theft and vandalism. Cable theft for... →

UAV & Drone Solutions provides eyes in the sky, day or night, to deter infrastructure criminals and identify areas of concern

Metrorail to reinstate Cape Town to Bellville rail service

By: Schalk Burger 14th March 2022 Commuter rail agency the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa's Metrorail Western Cape will restore services between Cape Town and Bellville via Goodwood and will introduce a passenger service by Wednesday March 16, which will come with a new operating timetable. All the stations will be... →

Rea Vaya Phase 1C agreements signed

By: Schalk Burger 14th March 2022 City of Johannesburg (CoJ) mayoral committee member for transport Funzi Ngobeni has signed three key agreements which pave the way for the operation of Rea Vaya Phase 1C route that will connect Phase 1A and 1B from the Johannesburg central business district to Alexandra, Greenstone and Sandton.... →

Cape Town trains suspended for second time in one week after vandalism

By: News24Wire 11th March 2022 Metrorail has implemented extra security measures after a second attempt to steal cables providing electricity to its trains. All trains in the Western Cape were halted on Tuesday following vandalism to the cables during load shedding. The latest attempt, which took place on Thursday at around at... →

Gautrain looking into solar panels to power its stations

By: News24Wire 8th March 2022 Gauteng's express railway system Gautrain is working on greening its operations, and plans to have solar power solutions for its stations, says CEO of Gautrain Management Agency, William Dachs. Dachs participated in an online discussion hosted by Arena Holdings on the importance of environmental... →

Transnet records highest-ever theft of copper cable, JMPD arrests two suspects

By: Donna Slater 8th March 2022 About 1 000 km of copper cable used to power electric locomotives has been stolen, to date, in the financial year ending on March 3, Transnet reports. This is a significant increase on the 700 km of cable stolen in the 2020/21 financial year and the 395 km of cable stolen in the 2019/20... →

Ramaphosa says Budget aimed at growth and employment

By: Schalk Burger 28th February 2022 Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presented a budget that supports and reinforces the programme of action announced in the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) to grow the economy and create jobs, says President Cyril Ramaphosa in a February 28 newsletter. The budget provides details on how... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Platinum-containing fuel cell bus developments on the rise – WPIC

By: Donna Slater 25th February 2022 The World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) reports that markets for hydrogen fuel cell-powered busses are developing rapidly. Hydrogen fuel cell buses are equipped with fuel cells that use proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology, which relies on a platinum catalyst. →

Smart mobility research chair established

By: Irma Venter 25th February 2022 The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) have jointly established a research chair in smart mobility, the first of its kind in South Africa. Professor Marianne Vanderschuren, an expert in... →

PRASA secures licences to run new electrical trains on Southern, Saulsville lines

By: Schalk Burger 24th February 2022 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has been granted a commercial licence by the Railway Safety Regulator to run the "People’s Train, which are a type of new, blue-coloured electric trains, on the Southern line, in the Western Cape, and the Saulsville line, in Gauteng. "Metrorail... →

DSI’s Maserumule reiterates South Africa’s green hydrogen ambitions

By: Schalk Burger 24th February 2022 South Africa is looking to build out funding opportunities and partnerships with international donors and countries that are aiming to decarbonise their own economies through the use of green hydrogen, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) hydrogen and energy chief director Rebecca... →

Cape Town bus commuters get ready. The MyCiTi N2 Express service is set to resume this week

By: News24Wire 14th February 2022 It's all systems go for the MyCiTi N2 Express service in Cape Town after an absence of nearly three years. Bus commuters will finally be able to use the service as the buses are expected to start operating again this week. The first buses will depart from Kapteinsklip in Mitchells Plain and... →

MyCiTi service records 19% increase in passenger trips

By: Irma Venter 4th February 2022 The number of passenger trips recorded on Cape Town’s MyCiTi bus service for the last quarter of 2021 increased by more than 19% compared with the same period in 2020, when South Africa faced harsh lockdowns owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The City of Cape Town reports that a total of... →

Gauteng transport dept extended bus contract irregularly since 1997 - Public Protector

By: News24Wire 1st February 2022 The Office of the Public Protector has found that the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport irregularly implemented a provincial transport contract with the Putco bus company. On Monday, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane released her findings after several complaints were brought to her... →

Photo by Reuters
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane

Bolt welcomes inclusion of e-hailing drivers under Taxi Relief Fund

By: Irma Venter 27th January 2022 Bolt, the mobility service that currently connects more than 25 000 drivers with passengers across South Africa, says it welcomes the launch of government's Covid-19 Taxi Relief Fund (TRF). The fund offers a once-off payment for qualifying drivers that experienced loss of income during the... →

Andrew Ihsaan Gasnolar

Metrorail closes one line between Soshanguve, Mabopane stations

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 24th January 2022 Passenger rail service operator Metrorail has closed one line between the Soshanguve and Mabopane stations following a technical fault and train incident. A train en route to Mabopane station experienced a technical fault outside Soshanguve station on January 24 at about 05:30. →

City of Cape Town offers R5 000 reward for info on stoning of brand new train

By: News24Wire 12th January 2022 The City of Cape Town is offering a R5 000 reward for information that leads to the positive identification and arrest of those responsible for the stoning of a brand new train. A group of youth pelted the Metrorail train between Steenberg and Fish Hoek last week, damaging the train driver's window. →

Mbalula launches one-off Covid-19 Taxi Relief Fund

By: Yvonne Silaule 11th January 2022 Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has officially launched the R1.14-billion one-off ex gratia Covid-19 Taxi Relief Fund (TRF), with qualifying operators expected to receive about R5 000 each. The TRF is a financial support programme by the Department of Transport (DoT) in collaboration with the... →

Minibus taxis parked at the Roodepoort taxi rank

Metrorail opens case as Steenberg to Fish Hoek train pelted with stone

By: Schalk Burger 5th January 2022 Passenger rail service operator Metrorail Western Cape has opened a case of malicious damage to property after a group of youths allegedly stoned a train at Steenberg station on its way to Fish Hoek station. The stone caused damage to the side window of the driver's cabin, which will have to be... →

Metrorail to resume services between Fish Hoek and Simon's Town stations

By: Schalk Burger 4th January 2022 Metrorail Western Cape will resume services between the Fish Hoek and Simon’s Town stations on January 5. This means all 29 stations between the Retreat station and the Simon’s Town station will be fully operational, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) said on January 4. →

BRT job losses loom if govt does not reconsider legislation, says association

By: Marleny Arnoldi 9th December 2021 The South African Bus Rapid Transit Association (Sabrata) has called on government to review legislation governing the bus rapid transit (BRT) industry, particularly to extend the 12-year bus operating companies’ contracts that are in place across the country. The contracts will all expire... →

Rea Vaya BRT, in Johannesburg

PRASA to resume Shosholoza Meyl operations

By: Irma Venter 8th December 2021 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) says it is preparing for the resumption of the Shosholoza Meyl long-distance passenger rail service on December 15. The preparatory work follows the termination of the service at the end of March this year owing to Covid-19. →

Verdant closes private equity-related transactions in South Africa

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 15th November 2021 Specialist investment bank and investment manager Verdant Capital has closed private equity-related transactions in South Africa, with fund raisings for Bridge Taxi Finance and Retail Capital. Verdant has successfully raised R300-million in debt financing for Bridge Taxi Finance from a small... →

Taxi industry welcomes proposed single ticketing system

By: Irma Venter 12th November 2021 The National Taxi Alliance (NTA) welcomes the proposed roll-out of a single integrated ticket that can be used across all modes of public transport, says NTA spokesperson Theo Malele. He believes that such a system will create “healthy competition” in the public transport space. →

Collaboration highlighted as key to enhance transport in Rosebank

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 29th October 2021 The Rosebank node, in Johannesburg, has experienced considerable growth over the past two decades and transport plays a key role within this space. There are, therefore, a number of issues that need to be rectified in this area and collaboration with all stakeholders is pivotal to achieving this,... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Tasneem Bulbulia
The Rosebank taxi rank

City reports steady progress on Selby BRT depot

By: Schalk Burger 26th October 2021 The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) says the Selby Rea Vaya bus rapid transit (BRT) depot is progressing towards practical completion in one of the heavier industrial nodes in the inner city. The depot will minimise traffic congestion between depots and route starting points and will also be used for... →

City of Joburg unveils Africa’s largest intermodal transport hub

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 13th October 2021 The City of Johannesburg on October 12 officially unveiled Africa’s largest intermodal transport hub – the Johannesburg International Transport Interchange (JITI) on the west of Park Station, in Newtown. The unveiling was led by Johannesburg mayor Mpho Moerane, who was accompanied by the... →

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