Prasa to shut four Gauteng lines for maintenance
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) will temporarily shut down four of its priority corridors in Gauteng as it starts maintenance work.
The four lines all suffered major damage due to vandalism during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda says Pienaarspoort to Pretoria, Naledi to Johannesburg, Leralla to Elandsfontein and the Pienaarspoort to Pretoria lines will all be affected.
“The Pienaarspoort to Pretoria and Naledi to Johannesburg lines will be unavailable effective Monday, 23 May.
“Work between Pretoria and Kaalfontein is scheduled to start in the next few weeks and expected to resume services by the end of October.”
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The closure of the lines will impact thousands commuters who will all have to make alternative transport arrangements.
It also comes amid rising fuel and transport costs.
But Makanda says the work will allow train services to run efficiently.
“The termination of services is necessary to allow for the rehabilitation and restoration of the electrical cables and traction substations that were vandalised or stolen during the level 5 hard lockdown.
“This will also allow for Prasa to run more efficient train services and to introduce the electrical trains which form part of Prasa’s modernisation programme.”
