Cape Town - Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga has made stops to view progress on projects by entities that fall under her department.
Chikunga’s visit to the Western Cape started off at road agency Sanral’s infrastructure upgrades to the N1 Huguenot Tunnel and N7 Moorreesburg followed by a Northern railway line visit which falls under passenger rail agency Prasa’s oversight.
During the Prasa visit, the minister also went to Goodwood, where phase one of a social housing development on Prasa land is expected to be completed by October and first occupation by November, benefiting South African individuals who are earning between R3 500 and R22 500 a month.
The CEO of DCI Community Housing Services, Fezile Calana, said that it was hoped the second phase of this development would be completed the following year, around March/April, along with its 6 000 square metre retail development right on top of Goodwood station.
Prasa group CEO Hishaam Emeran said: “Today we are showcasing one of the corridors that our internal team has recovered. They have built electrical infrastructure on this line. Currently, the Northern line is one of the lines that is running the blue trains.”
Raymond Maseko, the engineering services manager at Metrorail, said that with the new trains Prasa had recorded less crime inside them.
“Inside the coaches of blue trains are surveillance cameras recording every movement happening. By the door there’s an alarm that one can press to alert security members that are placed inside. Month-to-month reports continue to show less crime happening inside our trains.”
siviwe.melapi@inl.co.za