Five months after two trains collided outside Berlin, the wreckage is still lying on the side of the tracks.
In the May 20 accident, a Shosholoza Meyl train travelling from East London to Johannesburg collided with a goods train at Hanover just outside Berlin.
Two people died and more than 60 others were rushed to hospital.
At the time it was said that a Transnet controller had given authorisation to both trains to travel on the line, putting them on a head-on collision course.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) identified the deceased as employees Piet Baloyi, 58, of Soweto, and Yingwani Shivambu, 62, of Orange Farm. Prasa did not specify what they did.
Yesterday a Dispatch team visited the scene of the crash to find the wreckage still there. Days after the crash, the line was fixed and the the damaged carriages were moved off and to the side of the railway track. They have been lying in the same place ever since.
Transnet national spokesman Mike Asefovitz yesterday confirmed they had still not been moved. “I am not sure when they will be taken away and I have no idea why they have not been moved yet.
“I have communicated with the line manager and I am still waiting for a response,” Asefovitz said.
Asefovitz insisted round-the-clock security was in place although the Dispatch spent almost an hour at the site and saw no-one. Asked about this, Asefovitz said, “That is just your word but I know there is 24-hour security there and there is no vandalism taking place.” — siyab@dispatch.co.za
Wrecked train carriages still by the tracks five months later
In the May 20 accident, a Shosholoza Meyl train travelling from East London to Johannesburg collided with a goods train at Hanover just outside Berlin.
Two people died and more than 60 others were rushed to hospital.
At the time it was said that a Transnet controller had given authorisation to both trains to travel on the line, putting them on a head-on collision course.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) identified the deceased as employees Piet Baloyi, 58, of Soweto, and Yingwani Shivambu, 62, of Orange Farm. Prasa did not specify what they did.
Yesterday a Dispatch team visited the scene of the crash to find the wreckage still there. Days after the crash, the line was fixed and the the damaged carriages were moved off and to the side of the railway track. They have been lying in the same place ever since.
Transnet national spokesman Mike Asefovitz yesterday confirmed they had still not been moved. “I am not sure when they will be taken away and I have no idea why they have not been moved yet.
“I have communicated with the line manager and I am still waiting for a response,” Asefovitz said.
Asefovitz insisted round-the-clock security was in place although the Dispatch spent almost an hour at the site and saw no-one. Asked about this, Asefovitz said, “That is just your word but I know there is 24-hour security there and there is no vandalism taking place.” — siyab@dispatch.co.za
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