Minister inspects Afro 4000 Locomotives

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Minister inspects Afro 4000 Locomotives
Afro 4000 Locomotive. Photo: YouTube
Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi has inspected the AFRO 4000 locomotives at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (Prasa) Braamfontein depot.

The Minister on Wednesday received a briefing from both the management of Prasa as well as the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), prior to the inspection.

“We are here to inspect and to check progress on the delivery of the Afro 4000 locomotives, remember there was money budgeted for the long distance trains because our Shosholza Myl cannot cope with the demand in terms of passengers to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Beitbridge in Musina.

“Of course there are issues and we believe that there would be resolutions, but the sooner we resolve them, the better for the sake of our commuters.”

The Minister said both Prasa and the RSR assured him that the challenges can be resolved.

“… As the Minister of Transport, what I am interested in, is that the sooner the issues get resolved and people get transported the better,” he said.

Minister Maswanganyi said his mandate is to deliver efficient, reliable and safe trains to the South African public.

“There is a huge demand from the South African public that they want the trains to get onto the tracks as soon as possible.

“Somehow, we’ve been failing them with the delays and shortage of trains, more especially in the Western Cape where passengers end up vandalising our trains which we discourage in the strongest terms.

“The sooner the challenges are resolved, the sooner we see the trains transporting our people,” he said.

South Africa Today – South Africa News

SOURCESAnewsgov.za