Cape Town - A last-minute move by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) in the Western Cape to come up with money saved the day for Metrorail after their services were suspended on Thursday afternoon.
Thousands of train commuters were stranded after Eskom disconnected traction supply in the Western Cape. Good party secretary-general, Brett Herron, said Metrorail has failed to pay its electricity to Eskom and was cut off.
Herron said the billions in unspent funds that Prasa has been sitting on were never transferred to pay its debts and now hundreds of thousands of commuters are stranded.
After Eskom cut power for non-payment Prasa scrambled to meet its debts to the power utility causing public transport chaos in the province. A limited amount of services was restored after payment was made.
Previously, Eskom threatened more disruptions to the train service saying it would disconnect Modderdam Traction at 10am on Friday.
Eskom spokesperson Trish da Silva said the disconnection of Tafelbaai Traction follows the disconnections of both the Eersterivier Traction and Strand Traction on Tuesday last week, and Friday, February 21 respectively.
"Eskom has issued a disconnection notice to Prasa Western Cape that it would disconnect if their account was not settled," Da Silva previously said.
Thousands of commuter rail passengers were stranded on Thursday afternoon after Eskom disconnected traction supply in the Western Cape. A look at the Golden Arrow Bus depot in the Cape CBD. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency
A look at the Metrorail train running after Eskom restored the power later on the Thursday, evening. Video: Gareth Strydom/Supplied
A look at the Metrorail train running after Eskom restored the power later on the Thursday, evening. Picture: James Baard/Supplied
Da Silva said Eskom cannot divulge further details regarding the arrears due to contractual obligations with the customer and any further enquiries should be directed to Prasa Western Cape.
Premier Alan Winde said Prasa has let "us all down and must now do what it should have done when I raised this issue with President Cyril Ramaphosa in December last year: pay its bills."
Winde said Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela and his department have had several positive meetings with the Prasa administrator in recent weeks and he will be communicating with them to ascertain how the situation is being handled.
Winde urged national government to consider them as partners in fixing the problem: "but this will require devolving powers to us to do so. We get things done and we pay our bills: let us help deliver a reliable service to the commuters of the Western Cape. They deserve nothing less."
Thousands of commuter rail passengers were stranded on Thursday afternoon after Eskom disconnected traction supply in the Western Cape. A look at the Golden Arrow Bus depot in the Cape CBD. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency
Thousands of commuter rail passengers were stranded on Thursday afternoon after Eskom disconnected traction supply in the Western Cape. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency
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