Metrorail's services on the notoriously dangerous Central Line will remain suspended after a carriage of a test train derailed between Netreg and Heideveld train stations yesterday.
This worsened the woes of the parastal on the Central Line after its services had to be suspended twice in less than two weeks, leaving tens of thousands of commuters stranded without alternative transport.
Metrorail and Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) officials have blamed vandalism for yesterday’s incident.
The rerailing of the tracks on the Central Line is anticipated to take until after the weekend, meaning that commuters won't have a service until next week, according to Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott.
She said repairs of a vandalised sub-station which supplied power to trains between Heideveld and Netreg would delay the service.
Also, the destruction of other sub-stations in Nyanga earlier this month resulted in insufficient power being available to operate trains on the central line.
“At this stage, engineers have also confirmed extensive damage to the track alignment, which requires specialised equipment - this is being sourced,” said Scott.
“Technical teams will work around the clock to repair the damage to enable another test run before services can resume progressively as anticipated at first,” she said.
“Regrettably, Metrorail has no buses to assist,” said Scott, adding that commuters were requested to make alternative arrangements until the service resumed.
Commuters in possession of monthly tickets may utilise the services of Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS).
Metrorail’s regional manager, Richard Walker, said
that vandalism had played a part in the derailment of the testing train.
Walker said an inquiry would be conducted to confirm the cause.
Prasa's acting group chief executive, Cromet Molepo, said drastic action would be taken against the security company contracted to guard railway lines.
Molepo said Prasa would be looking at new technology to safeguard railway lines that would make it uneasy for criminals.
GABS spokesperson
Bronwen Dyke-Beyer said the bus and rail service companies had an arrangement to assist commuters in times of crisis.
Dyke-Beyer said there were practical limitations in terms of the company's ability to assist as the more than 1000 Golden Arrow buses that operated during peak periods every day were “already operating at full capacity under normal conditions”.
She said GABS only had capacity during the off-peak period. “We will continue to do everything possible with the resources available to us to lessen the burden that the current crisis has placed on commuters,” she said.
The national head of railway police, Michael Mohlala, said Prasa should get rid of the private security companies and divert its resources to the SAPS.
Prasa has confirmed the death toll in the Kroonstad rail-crossing accident involving a truck stood at 21. This is according to Kroonstad forensic pathologists.