Chikunga to officially launch new electric trains in Cape Town
The state-of-the-art locomotives, manufactured in Gauteng, were first introduced to Capetonians by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2019.
The Fish Hoek station in Cape Town. Picture: X/PRASA_Group
CAPE TOWN - Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga is in Cape Town to officially launch a set of new electric trains.
The state-of-the-art locomotives, manufactured in Gauteng, were first introduced to Capetonians by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2019.
ALSO READ: Chikunga confident trains will become the backbone of public transport again
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) said it's made significant strides in rebuilding its infrastructure, with 31 of the 40 lines now operational countrywide.
Chikunga and PRASA board members will take a train ride on Cape Town’s southern line from Fish Hoek station into the CBD.
Tuesday morning’s special commute is to celebrate the rail network’s recent efforts in bringing dozens of more lines back into operation.
PRASA said as part of its work to rebuild rail infrastructure, it restored vandalised signalling equipment on several once-idle lines.
The rail agency said it also invested in technology to improve the security around its infrastructure.
The Minister is also expected to launch train 200 of the blue electric trains operating countrywide. She says the target is to rollout 600 of these trains by 2031. Here’s the Minister interacting with commuters on the train from Fish Hoek to the CBD @NtuthuzeloNene pic.twitter.com/goGfAjmknG
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 23, 2024