Good Calls for Honest, Credible Planning in Cape Town’s Rail Devolution Debate

GOOD Speech by Siyabulela Mamkeli, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor:

Today, we address an issue that affects every worker, every family, and every community in our city:

The future of Cape Town’s passenger rail system.

We meet at a time when the City has tabled recommendations to request the assignment of rail services from the national government.

And we also meet at a time when the GOOD Party has raised important concerns, concerns rooted in transparency, accountability, and truth.

Acknowledging PRASA’s Progress- First, let us be fair, factual, and honest.

PRASA has, in recent years, made real and visible progress in restoring rail services in Cape Town.

We have seen:

• The return of trains on the Central Line, connecting Langa to Nyanga, Bonteheuwel, Khayelitsha, and Philippi.
• Stabilisation and service improvements on parts of the Northern Line.
• Continued reliable operations on the Southern Line, where passengers have benefited from improved security and station upgrades.

These are not small achievements, but signs of a national agency working slowly at times- imperfectly at times but working to rebuild a railway system that was almost destroyed by vandalism and systemic neglect.

And let us also acknowledge PRASA’s plans, which include:

• Full reopening of the Central Line through Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain,
• New signalling and security upgrades,
• Fleet refurbishments,
• And long-term integration of rail with the broader public transport network.

This is progress we must recognise, protect and build on.

The City’s Request for Rail Devolution

Now, let us turn to the City’s request to take over passenger rail functions.

The GOOD Party supports cooperative governance, the principle that national, provincial, and municipal spheres must work together to deliver reliable, affordable public transport.

But cooperation cannot be built on political theatre or public exaggeration.

The City of Cape Town has repeatedly claimed it is “ready” to take over rail services.

But when the so-called “Service Level Plan”, the plan the City said would demonstrate its readiness, was finally revealed in the Provincial Parliament, it was clear that the document had:

• No operational model,
• No costing,
• No timelines,
• No infrastructure strategy,
• And no credible outline of how the City intends to run an entire rail network.

It was not a plan, but a placeholder. Residents deserve better than placeholders.

GOOD’s Position

The GOOD Party’s position is responsible, balanced, and grounded in the needs of commuters.

GOOD says:

Yes, let us pursue rail devolution, but let us do it honestly.

Let us do it with real plans, not political slogans. And let us do it in a way that complements PRASA’s progress, instead of pretending it does not exist.

Cape Town deserves leadership that is transparent with residents.

Cape Town deserves leadership that produces detailed, costed, operationally sound proposals before making public promises.

Rail devolution must be based on capability, not campaign messaging.

A Way Forward

The way forward is clear:

1. Acknowledge PRASA’s ongoing restoration work, because it is real and measurable.
2. Support PRASA’s future restoration plans, because they are essential for stabilising rail in Cape Town.
3. Require the City to produce a detailed, public, credible rail plan before any devolution request is sent to the national government.
4. Work collaboratively, across government spheres, to restore rail to at least 2012 operational levels.
5. Protect commuters by ensuring that no sphere of government misleads them or overstates readiness.

Cape Town’s rail system cannot be rebuilt on politics.

It must be rebuilt on facts, on honesty, and on commitment to the people.

Conclusion

We all want the same thing: a safe, reliable, affordable railway system that restores dignity and opportunity to our communities.

Let us recognise what has been achieved, be honest about what remains undone.

And let us commit to a future where public transport is governed not by political convenience, but by competence and truth.

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