President Ramaphosa to visit PRASA modernisation programme

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, 09 April 2019, undertake a visit to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) in Cape Town where the President will be briefed on PRASA’s efforts to improve commuter services and to stimulate economic activity and industrialisation   through its modernisation programme. The President will also observe the testing of new train sets.

The President’s visit follows his recent personal experience of commuter frustration and technical problems with rolling stock between Mabopane and Bosman stations in Pretoria. 

During an engagement with commuters, the train on which the President was travelling broke down, turning a 45-minute journey into a three-hour delay

In Cape Town PRASA will take the President through elements of the passenger rail sector’s 20-year modernisation programme.

This programme aims to revitalise the rail industry through local manufacturing of parts, maintenance, the establishment of training facilities, the achievement of 65 percent local content, and training and skills development for PRASA employees and young people interested in the rail industry.

Government’s commitment to providing safe and sufficient passenger rail services that will benefit commuters and the economy is reflected in its investment of more than R170 billion to ensure that passenger rail services offer:

• Modern, safe and reliable trains for commuters,
• Faster trains which will increase capacity of the network,
• Improved overall safety of trains and reduced energy costs, and
• Improved, predictable and reliable services to passengers.

During his visit to Cape Town’s central railway station, President Ramaphosa will view two new trains that were manufactured locally and which will be deployed on upgraded infrastructure, as part of PRASA’s Rolling Stock Fleet Renewal Programme that will see the manufacturing of more than 7 000 new trains over a period of 20 years - or close to 30 per month.

Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 09 April 2019
Time: 11h00 (members of the media are requested to arrive at 10h00)
Venue: Cape Town Station, Western Cape Province

Media RSVP: Tsakane Khambane – tsakane@presidency.gov.za / 082 084 5566 by sending names, media house and ID numbers by no later than 14:00 today, 08 April 2019.04.08.


Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President on 072 854 5707

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria