Rail recovery project on track
The Central Line Relocation Project Management Committee met with affected communities on Tuesday March 12 at the Durbanville Conference Centre, to give an update on the relocation of the people who are illegally occupying the Central Line, mainly at Langa and Phillipi stations, and the progress of the railway corridor recovery efforts.
The illegal occupations and vandalism have caused a central line shut down for Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha.
PRASA Regional Programmes Manager Jaco Cupido outlined plans for recovery for the affected areas, starting from Nyanga to Kuyasa in Khayelitsha. He said plans to recover the line started in 2021.
“When we started the recovery of the Western Cape corridor, primarily our focus was with the central line, but there were so many challenges, there were difficulties for us to get through to the central line,” Mr Cupido said.
He said they had learned a many lessons through the engagements they have had with communities.
“We are currently stopping at Nyanga station. The next phase is to going down to Philippi, Stock Road, Mandalay, Nolungile, Nonkqubela, Khayelitsha, Kuyasa and Chris Hani stations as well as on the other side; to Lentegeur, Mitchell’s Plain and Kapteinsklip. Those are the priorities for us,” Mr Cupido said.
He added that the success of Operation Bhekela has allowed PRASA to appoint contractors to rehabilitate infrastructure by installing tracks and overhead networks.
“We have a target, as a recovery team, that by the end of March 2024 which is roughly two weeks, we want to reach Nolungile station. Construction activities have commenced between Nyanga and Chris Hani, with the contractor currently engaged in casting foundations in the Philippi section and erecting mast poles. The contractor has completed 90% of the mast poles in Nyanga to the Phillipi section and will start with the actual wiring between March 12 and March 15,” said Mr Cupido.
The contractor will replace masts and wires with the aim of finishing both lines by May, he said.
Street vendor, Zanele Xoki who works as a seamstress near Nolungile station in Site C, Khayelitsha, said she can't even recall how many years she is been trading there.
“If the trains can return there would be huge difference in terms of making money. Business was good before Covid and the closure of train services. Many customers who passed by here supported us when taking the train. Things have been difficult,” she said.
Boniswa Siwundla, who sells meat, said crime has risen recently.
“We used to benefit from commuters back then, but during Covid-19 we lost train services and the unemployment rate and crime spiked. I doubt that things will go back to normal as many people are being mugged when they go to the stations. Many people don't carry cash with them anymore. We hope that PRASA can add more security near stations and that there can be police visibility as well,” she said.