SA Minister Of Transport Launches Central Line From Nyanga To Langa
After being closed for over three years due to vandalism and illegal occupation during the COVID-19 lockdown, the Cape Town rail service between Langa and Nyanga has finally resumed. This essential public transport system provides an affordable option for commuters in the region.
Restoring passenger rail services in South Africa is a top priority, according to Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, who recently took a train ride from Nyanga to Cape Town station to assess the progress made in repairing the Central Line’s infrastructure and stations. The goal is to establish passenger rail as the backbone of the nation’s public transport system.
Recovery work for the Langa to Nyanga line has involved re-railing, sleeper replacement, ballast replenishment, and replacing 100,000 fasteners and clips to ensure rail stability. A total of 7.5 kilometers of overhead equipment, previously vandalized, has also been replaced. This marks the completion of the first phase of the Central Line’s recovery, which spans over 50 kilometers.
With over 58 million commuters annually in 2011, the Central Line is the largest rail corridor in the Cape Metro. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has been working since 2021 to recover and restore vandalized high-volume corridors. To date, 16 corridors have been recovered, including the recently launched Pretoria to Centurion line.
The Central Line’s recovery is being carried out in phases to allow for PRASA to rebuild and restore train services while addressing the issue of illegal occupants on the rail line. The government has allocated R1.2 billion for the recovery of the Central Line, with R642 million already spent on rail infrastructure recovery and station refurbishments.
The investment in the Central Line has already created 922 job opportunities, with 475 young people under 35 years old employed and 22 local Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) hired. PRASA is also implementing an integrated security plan to protect rail infrastructure, with an intervention unit deployed in October 2022 that has created 1,354 jobs.
Minister Chikunga highlighted the remaining challenge of relocating illegal settlements on the railway line, which requires an intergovernmental approach. After the recovery, the next step will be to implement universal access for passengers with special needs as part of the station modernization program.