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The train crash in Pretoria is confirmation that our rail transport system has been neglected for many years.
Former transport minister Sbu Ndebele admitted in his department's budget vote last year: "Our entire rail system has reached the end of its design life. The system no longer effectively meets passenger and economic demands and it is at a stage where it has to be replaced."
Nevertheless the commuter rail service still provides more than 2.4million passenger trips daily.
The Department of Transport should hasten its rollout of the R4-billion allocation for the acquisition of new rolling stock. There is also R1-billion for the construction of new infrastructure.