The return of the trains to Khayelitsha has been hailed by commuters who believe their reintroduction will significantly improve their living conditions and travelling expenses.
After nearly six years, trains returned to Khayelitsha for the first time on Monday 7 April (“Trains are back” City Vision, 10 April). The service was halted after vandals ruined and looted the rail infrastructure in the central line.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has been working tirelessly to restore the service, a process that was compounded by the construction of illegal housing structures on the tracks in Philippi and Langa.
Following years and months of negotiations the illegal occupiers were moved, paving the way for the return of the trains and are expected to save commuters hundreds of rands in travelling expenses.
While a taxi trip from Makhaza to Cape Town cost over R40, train passengers are now paying just R10 and R65 a week.
An elated commuter Lwazi Vokovana (53) labelled the return of the trains as a “breath of fresh air”.
The Makhaza resident said commuters have an option to choose between the buses, taxi and trains. “I’m so happy with the return of the trains. I started using them on the second day after their return (Tuesday 8 April). “I used to take a taxi from Makhaza to Site C. And from Site C to Cape Town. I used to spend almost R80 a day. A taxi from Makhaza to the Site C taxi rank is R17, and from Site C to Cape Town costs R26 a trip. My weekly fare was roughly R350,” he explained.
Vokovana said a single ticket from Chris Hani train station to Cape Town costs R10, while the weekly from Monday until Friday costs R65.
There is also an optional weekly ticket of R75, which includes Saturday.
However, he complained about the state of the shelter at the station.
Vokovana appealed to Prasa to speedily renovate the shelters ahead of the winter season. “I can see that Prasa is busy fixing the train shelters. Most of them were vandalised and we don’t have shelters to cover ourselves when it’s raining or sunny. There’s a lot that needs to be done, even the concrete palisade fence along the railway lines is vandalised,” he said.
Fellow commuter Nosi Rulati from Nkanini reiterated Vokovana’s sentiments. She said trains made a huge difference. She said she used to take a Golden Arrow bus from Nkanini to Cape Town daily. Prior to the suspension of the rail service, she used a train daily from Nkanini to Langa. She described the trains as the most affordable mode of transport in the country.
Golden Arrow Bus Service (GABS) spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer stated that the bus from Cape Town, a single during a peak hour cash is R41,50, a single during off peak hours cash is R21, 00. She said a five ride weekly is R130, 00 and R26 per ride. While 10 ride weekly R239,00 and R23,90 per trip.
Dyke-Beyer said a 48-ride monthly cost R1 052,00 while is R21,91 per trip. While MyCiTi from Chris Hani train station to Cape Town cost R50 a trip without a card. While a return ticket with a card is R50. A weekly is R290.
Western Cape PRASA spokesperson Zino Mihi stated the renovation of all train stations is underway. She said they are expected to be completed by June.
“We are working hard to ensure that everything is going smoothly,” said Mihi.
