Celebrating Progress: Reggie Boqo On Gibela’s Milestones And Future Prospects
During the recent PRASA celebration on 23 April 2024, which marked both the launch of the 200th train and the resignalling of the Southern Line in Cape Town, we had the opportunity to speak with Reggie Boqo, the Acting CEO of Gibela and former Chief Financial Officer.
Reggie highlighted the milestone of 214 trains manufactured to date, noting that the company reached peak production this past financial year by manufacturing 62 trains. He assures that Gibela is set to maintain this production rate in this financial year as well, having scaled up operations and engaged extensively with their supplier base and supply chain ecosystem.
Currently, 208 of these trains have been delivered to the customer, with the remaining ones undergoing the final testing and acceptance stages. Gibela, a joint venture between Alstom and the local consortium Ubumbano Rail, is executing two major contracts for PRASA: producing 600 trains and managing a 19-year maintenance and support contract.
The interview also touched on future possibilities beyond the current contract, with Reggie expressing excitement about the prospect of South Africa becoming the rail hub of the continent, supported by long-term infrastructure investments.
Tune in to the full interview to explore how Gibela is not only advancing South Africa’s rail industry but also shaping its future as a central player in the continental rail network.
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