5 FEBRUARY 2020
Statement from Brett Herron, Western Cape MPL and Secretary-General for GOOD
WESTERN CAPE’S RESPONSE TO RAIL CRISIS IS LIKE A SCENE FROM A LEON SCHUSTER MOVIE
Transport & Public Works Standing Committee needs to summon the PRASA Administrator
Instead of the Western Cape Standing Committee on Transport and Public Works undertaking a PR-type inspection of Mitchell’s Plain Station, where there is nothing to see because no trains are running, it should do something real such as summon Prasa administrator, Bongisizwe Mpondo, to explain his proposed turnaround plan.
Commuters in the Western Cape have been abandoned by all levels of government. Once the backbone of our public transport system, operating 110 train sets and providing 620 000 passenger trips a day, Metrorail is limping along with just 32 train sets.
Cancellations, delays, overcrowding and crime are the norm, and more and more commuters are jumping to road-based transport. The highest demand line, the Central Line connecting Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to the City Centre, is inoperable, and a recent attack on the second busiest line, the Northern Line, places that service in jeopardy, too.
Those elected to serve the interests of the people stand by wringing their hands, blaming each other. To organise a visit to Mitchell’s Plain in these circumstances – with or without balloons in DA colours – is bizarre and insulting to Western Cape commuters.
I have requested the Chairperson of the Standing Committee to cancel the visit and request Mpondo to attend an urgent committee meeting, instead. Such an event would be an opportunity for Mpondo to present his turnaround plan as well as brief the committee on the PRASA/Metrorail Safety Plan, the Security Operational Plan and the Investigation Report into the Train Burning at Cape Town Station.
If the chairperson proceeds with the visit to Mitchell’s Plain Station, he should offer Leon Shuster my place on the tour. Perhaps they could pop in at the empty MyCiti bus station while they’re there (the bus service to Mitchell’s Plain has been closed for more than six months).
Note to Editors: The Western Cape Standing Committee on Transport and Public Works is scheduled to visit the Mitchells Plain Train Station on the 19th February 2020 as part of the State of the Province (SOPA) Road Show.
Ends…