Prasa should have suspended all operations: UNTU
The United National Transport Union (UNTU) says Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) should have suspended all operations after its safety permit expired on the 31st of July.
UNTU and The National Press Club briefed the media on Prasa's expired safety permit on Friday.
UNTU's General Secretary Steve Harris says out of frustration stranded commuters would have torched some trains costing Prasa millions of rands.
"From a political perspective, you would imagine that millions of commuters would have been stranded," says Harris.
Harris says the rail agency was given money to update its infrastructure to ensure it does not lose its safety permit and improve conditions.
"A R170 billion was given to Prasa to upgrade its infrastructure and to ensure new rolling stock is purchased."
He adds it is unfortunate that the new rolling stock cannot be implemented because of a number of issues Prasa overlooked.
"It is only tested here in Pretoria on a short line."
The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) also refused to give a permit to implement the new train sets, says Harris.
"Because of the speed it is able to travel at, and you can imagine the fact that there's no safe walls or wires keeping people off the actual lines itself, compared to your Gautrain."