The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) is enmeshed in a new storm over its R51-billion contract – larger than the arms deal – to modernise its urban rail service‚ Metrorail.The agency is still reeling from a list of findings by the public protector and the Treasury‚ as well as the dismissal of its CEO‚ Lucky Montana‚ and the purchase of the “too tall” Spanish locomotives in terms of a near-R5-billion contract.
Now it has emerged that Prasa is behind schedule in getting key infrastructure ready for the arrival of the first of the new passenger trains under the multibillion-rand contract. The trains‚ comprising six coaches each‚ were to begin commercial operations next July.
All 600 suburban-service trains to be supplied in the first of two 10-year phased programmes have been bought from French power and transport group‚ Alstom‚ in the group’s biggest deal to date.
The Gibela Rail Transport Consortium was set up to drive the contract‚ in which Alstom holds a 61% stake with 30% held by broad-based black economic empowerment interests selected by Prasa.
The first of the 20 trains to be built at Alstom’s facilities in Brazil has arrived in Richard’s Bay‚ but is without a depot in which to be parked and serviced. Nor is there a sign of the R200-million test track needed to ensure the trains can reach the required speed of 120km/h.
The technology on the trains requires existing depots to be upgraded or new ones built for maintenance. But Prasa is severely behind on its R5-billion modernisation programme for five depots.
Braamfontein had initially been earmarked as the priority depot for the new trains. However‚ in May‚ internal Prasa documents show that the depot was only 8% ready. A Prasa report to the National Council of Provinces in July 2013 showed construction of the depot‚ which would have been able to house the 270m trains‚ was planned for April last year. Wolmerton in Pretoria was then identified as the priority depot where the trains would be tested.
But by May‚ Prasa was only 4% into the process of readying the depot‚ with the tender for construction yet to be awarded. This is despite Prasa’s own timelines requiring the depot to be completed by August. Prasa has since negotiated with Gibela for a “partial handover” of the test facilities‚ the Prasa documents show. Last week‚ Prasa confirmed the test track had been delayed and it had appointed Grindrod Rail Consulting and Mota-Engil Construction for the modernisation of the depot. Prasa said the contractors were on site and the test track‚ which should have been ready this month‚ would be ready by January.
The responsibility to test the trains rests with Gibela in terms of a contract. However‚ these tests are to be done on a test track provided by Prasa. This raises questions about the ripple effect delays will have on Prasa’s modernisation plans and whether it will be liable for any penalties.
At the time of publication‚ both Prasa and Gibela had not responded to questions. Prasa opted to have 20 of the 600 trains built in Brazil‚ considered faster than building a factory and the trains in SA.
A delay in getting the trains into commercial service could see Prasa having to invest more money into the maintenance of its old fleet. — BDLive
Prasa mired in fresh controversy
The agency is still reeling from a list of findings by the public protector and the Treasury‚ as well as the dismissal of its CEO‚ Lucky Montana‚ and the purchase of the “too tall” Spanish locomotives in terms of a near-R5-billion contract.
Now it has emerged that Prasa is behind schedule in getting key infrastructure ready for the arrival of the first of the new passenger trains under the multibillion-rand contract. The trains‚ comprising six coaches each‚ were to begin commercial operations next July.
All 600 suburban-service trains to be supplied in the first of two 10-year phased programmes have been bought from French power and transport group‚ Alstom‚ in the group’s biggest deal to date.
The Gibela Rail Transport Consortium was set up to drive the contract‚ in which Alstom holds a 61% stake with 30% held by broad-based black economic empowerment interests selected by Prasa.
The first of the 20 trains to be built at Alstom’s facilities in Brazil has arrived in Richard’s Bay‚ but is without a depot in which to be parked and serviced. Nor is there a sign of the R200-million test track needed to ensure the trains can reach the required speed of 120km/h.
The technology on the trains requires existing depots to be upgraded or new ones built for maintenance. But Prasa is severely behind on its R5-billion modernisation programme for five depots.
Braamfontein had initially been earmarked as the priority depot for the new trains. However‚ in May‚ internal Prasa documents show that the depot was only 8% ready. A Prasa report to the National Council of Provinces in July 2013 showed construction of the depot‚ which would have been able to house the 270m trains‚ was planned for April last year. Wolmerton in Pretoria was then identified as the priority depot where the trains would be tested.
But by May‚ Prasa was only 4% into the process of readying the depot‚ with the tender for construction yet to be awarded. This is despite Prasa’s own timelines requiring the depot to be completed by August. Prasa has since negotiated with Gibela for a “partial handover” of the test facilities‚ the Prasa documents show. Last week‚ Prasa confirmed the test track had been delayed and it had appointed Grindrod Rail Consulting and Mota-Engil Construction for the modernisation of the depot. Prasa said the contractors were on site and the test track‚ which should have been ready this month‚ would be ready by January.
The responsibility to test the trains rests with Gibela in terms of a contract. However‚ these tests are to be done on a test track provided by Prasa. This raises questions about the ripple effect delays will have on Prasa’s modernisation plans and whether it will be liable for any penalties.
At the time of publication‚ both Prasa and Gibela had not responded to questions. Prasa opted to have 20 of the 600 trains built in Brazil‚ considered faster than building a factory and the trains in SA.
A delay in getting the trains into commercial service could see Prasa having to invest more money into the maintenance of its old fleet. — BDLive
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