[imagesource:twitter/@PRASA_Group]

Passengers booked to travel from Johannesburg to Cape Town with the resumption of the Shosholoza Meyl rail service were left disappointed after the train had to stop dead in its tracks.

It wasn’t some freak accident that made the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (Prasa) Shosholoza Meyl reel off the rails. No. It was the theft of overhead wires in the Western Cape that caused the train to stop in its tracks on the last leg of the journey.

After a two-year hiatus, the long-distance passenger train service officially recommenced last week, just in time for the festive season. The Citizen notes that the main line passenger service (MLPS) from Joburg to Queenstown, Musina, Durban and Cape Town was suspended in 2021 due to operational and network infrastructure challenges.

Everyone was excited for the Shozoloza’s come-back, with the African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula talking up the resumption of the train as a “railway renaissance”.

The ANC-led government’s interventions to achieve a railway renaissance, the positioning of rail as a key contributor to economic transformation, and the reduction in harmful greenhouse gas emissions, are clearly articulated. 👌🏽 https://t.co/aSBZwdw0fd

— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) December 7, 2023

[JHB-CPT] For some, it’s their first time on the train, while for others it’s their zillionth time travelling by train 🚂 They are looking forward to the journey, and have come prepared.#KeDezember#JourneyWithUs pic.twitter.com/pgkBx2iqMn

— PRASA Group (@PRASA_Group) December 7, 2023

However, the train failed to complete its 30-hour journey to the Mother City as some skelms had stolen the wires from the track in Wellington, causing the passengers to take the bus to their final destination on Friday.

It was discovered soon after midnight that overhead wires had been stolen between Kraaifontein and Muldersvlei, affecting the Wellington metro service.

[JHB-CPT] The train arrived in Wellington despite operational and infrastructure challenges. The journey will be completed by bus due to theft of overhead wire cables. Despite these challenges, we remain steadfast in our commitment to revive the long-distance service. pic.twitter.com/8ptl9E6gWc

— PRASA Group (@PRASA_Group) December 8, 2023

The rail agency added that “Prasa, Transport and Transnet Freight Rail will engage on how to effectively deal with the cable theft”. But still, passengers were left upset and disheartened:

It has ended in tears. I’m being told that after Wellington, there’s been cable theft, so our journey ends there. We’ll be taking a bus all the way to Cape Town from there.

— AMI2 🇵🇸 (@zango_kubheka) December 8, 2023

The company acknowledged it was facing several challenges, including the quality of infrastructure and a shortage of locomotives.

“Some of those available are unreliable. This may result in delays and in some cases, even cancellations. Contingency plans are in place for trips on all four corridors where the main line passenger service operates,” Prasa said in a statement on Wednesday.

Prasa said it “believes acknowledging and addressing challenges openly is essential to rebuilding and maintaining trust in our service”:

“We know long-distance travel via rail is the most affordable. During this phase of reintroducing the long-distance mainline passenger services, Prasa will provide regular updates on our progress and seek feedback from our passengers and other stakeholders,” the agency said.

The agency said it is determined to deliver a “reliable, safe and comfortable long-distance train experience”.

[source:citizen]