SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa restarted Shosholoza Meyl long-distance passenger services on the Johannesburg – Durban and Johannesburg – Cape Town routes on December 7.
The services were suspended in 2021 because of ‘operational and network infrastructure challenges’, and Prasa warned that ‘the condition and quality of the infrastructure have been a concern and may impact the travel experience’.
It said ‘the country is currently facing a shortage of locomotives, and some of those available are unreliable. This may result in delays and, in some cases, even cancellations’, although it insisted that ‘contingency plans are in place’.
The inaugural service from Johannesburg was terminated after 1 458 km at Wellington, 70 km short of Cape Town, on December 8, owing to the theft of the overhead cables between Muldersvlei and Kraaifontein. Replacement buses were provided, and the infrastructure was repaired the same day.
