Minister misleads Parliament in reply on Prasa trains 

5 July 2015

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has misled Parliament on the dimensions of the new trains that are too tall for existing tracks despite explicit warnings of this fact.

Earlier this year the DA submitted Parliamentary a question to the Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, asking why the trains ordered differed in dimension from the requirements. 

The Minister replied that “The new locomotives are not different in any form…The new locomotives are within the required scale”. 

Clearly the Minister has misled Parliament and been loose with the truth with regard to the dimensions of the new trains (see News24 report).

The DA will approach the Speaker of the National Assembly to request that she take action against Minister Peters for providing incorrect information in her rely. 

I will also write to the Minister to request that she make public the documents pertaining to the tender for these trains, in the interests of transparency and openness.

Prasa imported 13 brand new diesel trains, to the value of R600 million, from Europe that are too high for the local rail lines on long distance routes for which they are intended. The 13 diesel trains have delivered so far form part of a larger R3.5 billion order for a total of 70 new locomotives.

Senior railways engineers warned Prasa before the trains arrived in the country that the trains ordered from Spanish manufacturer, Vossloh España, are too tall for local use. The new trains have a roof height of 4 264mm while the maximum height for diesel locomotives for local use may not exceed 3 965mm. 

Engineers say the locomotives could damage the overhead electrical cables on the country's rail lines.

The DA believes that government must at all times act in the best interests of all South Africans, especially when spending tax payers’ hard earned money. By ordering trains that do not fit on our country’s train tracks, Prasa has acted recklessly and without proper and due consideration.

Text of the reply:

National Assembly  

Question Number: 1344

Mr K S Mubu (DA) to ask the Minister of Transport:

(a) Why do the new locomotive rolling stock units differ in (i) dimensions, (ii) weight and (iii) scale from the required rolling stock, (b) what steps has she taken to accommodate the different dimension stock units, (c)(i) at what cost and (ii) within what time frames will this take place and (d) why were differently dimensioned rolling stock units ordered?    NW11556E

Reply:

a) (i) The new locomotives are not different in any form,

(ii) 90,000 kg (21 ton axle load),

(iii) The new locomotives are within the required scale.

b) Since they are within required dimension, there is no need to take any steps. The locomotives completed all required test runs from Cape Town to Beaufort West and Cape Town to Johannesburg.

c) (i) The cost is R39 million based on passenger locomotive for long distance design,

(ii) The new locomotives are running and are within required time frames.

d)The rolling units are within the applicable dimensions, therefore they were bought based on the long distance train passenger related locomotive that will be able to service passenger demand.

ENDS

Statement issued by Manny de Freitas MP, DA Shadow Minister of Transport, July 5 2015