Since the Western Cape's busiest line was shut in October last year, the rail system has been exposed to vandalism and cable theft and during the COVID-19 lockdown period, people invaded the railway lines.
The passenger rail network has lacked proper protection since security companies’ services were terminated late last year.
Untu's Sonja Castens said that while there was this great digital system in place, not all trains were linked to it because the moderisation of signaling was years behind.
The Bellville Rail Management and Traffic Control Centre was launched on Friday and will oversee all passenger rail operations, improve on-time performance and make the network safer.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has revealed his ministerial security plan, which includes working with departments like Justice and State Security to track down the criminals.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has launched the new plan, which includes a partnership with the police, state security and justice departments.
Last Friday, a man was arrested in the Pretoria area in an operation involving the SAPS, the passenger rail agency, Telkom and Tshwane metro police officials while three men were arrested in Mpumalanga in a separate operation.
Already beset by cash flow problems, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) is running a limited service, which is not nearly enough to help recover the billions lost over the lockdown period.
Last week, the commission has heard how former Prasa chair Tintswalo Makhubele took on that role while she was chairing a water tribunal and had also applied to be a judge.
Former Prasa board chair Popo Molefe said that officials, including an acting director-general, told his board members to resign to render the board dysfunctional and told them that they would be offered other board positions.
The state capture commission has heard how former Transport Minister Dipuo Peters clarified to the public, through the media, her reasons for firing the Prasa board before she had given those reasons to the board itself.
Former board chair Popo Molefe has told the commission that there have only been acting CEOs and interim boards since 2015.
The judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture is due to resume next week Monday after proceedings were halted due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said that finances remained a source of serious concern for Prasa, which was facing a fare revenue decline due to the state lockdown.
The company said that it was following all government regulations on COVID-19 but admitted that it had been challenging to source protective gear for essential workers.
They're facing a number of allegations, including misconduct and gross misconduct, emanating from recommendations of various investigation reports.
City of Cape Town Deputy Mayor Ian Neilson that if the city disconnected services, it would affect Prasa's offices and facilities and would not impact on trains.
Eskom temporarily cut the power supply to the rail agency in Cape Town on Thursday because of an overdue payment.
