396 Shosholoza train carriages to become scrap metal
10 November 2022
The Passenger Railway Agency of South Africa (Prasa) recently announced that it will scrap 396 Shosholoza Meyl (SM) carriages.
It is very concerning that questions about these write-offs and the process that is being followed was met with a simple reply of “it is an internal document” and therefore the required information cannot be shared.
The DA is not convinced that ditching these carriages to a scrapyard is the best option. Secondly, there should be clarity on the protocol of how to deal with outdated/written-off assets, Prasa should have a standard practice with a clear modus operandi. The public office does not accommodate secretively “internal only” processes, particularly not when money is involved.
The DA questions the status of these 396 carriages given that the replacement cost of one carriage is R4 million. Of the 396 about 155 were left on Prasa’s lot at their Pretoria Bosman Street Station for more than 10 years, with no effort to maintain or refurbish. Taxpayers and commuters will now pay the price for this.