MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / News / Shosholoza Meyl’s troubled return a reflection of government incompetence

Shosholoza Meyl’s troubled return a reflection of government incompetence

Dear Editor

The DA expresses deep concern over the interruption of the Shosholoza Meyl long-distance rail service due to cable theft, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and the Department of Transport (DoT).

Passengers en route from Johannesburg to Cape Town were forced to conclude their journey by bus on Friday after overhead wire cables were stolen between Kaalfontein and Muldersvlei.

In a statement, Prasa acknowledged the disruption, stating, “Prasa deeply regrets the interruption of the MLPS (Main Line Passenger Services) long-distance service from Johannesburg to Cape Town on Friday, 8th December 2023. The journey was unexpectedly halted at Wellington Station due to the theft of overhead cables between Kaalfontein and Muldersvlei.”

The DA condemns the incident as a clear reflection of the ANC government’s incompetence and lack of commitment to resolving critical issues in the rail sector.

The Department of Transport has once again demonstrated its disregard for the well-being and convenience of South African citizens. The PR exercise surrounding the Shosholoza Meyl’s return has ended in a predictable debacle, showcasing a high level of incompetence and ineptitude.

The DA is not surprised by these events, given the ANC government’s focus on public relations instead of addressing the root causes of rail infrastructure challenges. The DA is committed to prioritising infrastructure replenishment, new rail builds, and increased maintenance budgets. We pledge to secure rail infrastructure to prevent incidents like cable theft, putting passengers’ lives at risk.

The DA calls for accountability and transparency in managing public funds, especially in entities like Prasa, where mismanagement has been evident. We look forward to the 2024 elections, confident that a new government will bring about the necessary changes to ensure a reliable and safe rail transport system for all South Africans.

Regards

Thami Mabhena MP
DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Transport

Category: Tag:

If you feel strongly about this article then feel free to send MyZA a ‘Letter to the Editor’ using the submission form below:

Letter to the Editor

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
If this is in response to an article please include that article title here or as the lead in for the first paragraph of your Letter below.

Separate tags with commas

Localise your letter by naming the city your words are about. Add relevant words describing your subject. Single comma separated words of no more than 5
Your Name(Required)
Your Name will be linked to the website below.
Your personal, business or social media web site
Choose NO to not set up a user account on MyZA. User Accounts will allow you to submit letters under your own Author Name

3 Latest Letters to the Editor:

  • NSFAS 2027 applications close on 31 October — SASSA households, apply now

    Dear Editor, I run SAGrant (sagrant.co.za), a free resource helping South Africans navigate SASSA grants. NSFAS applications for the 2027 academic year close on Friday 31 October 2026, and no extension is expected. If your household receives a SASSA grant, your child already passes the NSFAS financial eligibility test — but they still have to…

  • Publish the Call, Then Publish the Grade

    Dear Editor, South African football fans argue about everything — lineups, referees, who should start up front. But there’s one argument we never have, because nobody gives us the numbers: were the predictions we read all week actually any good? I help run XG Mind AI, a small independent football data lab. Our rule is…

  • Don’t Ignore a SASSA Review Notice — It Is Not a Cancellation

    Dear Editor, I run SAGrant (sagrant.co.za), a free resource helping South Africans navigate SASSA grants. SASSA has reminded beneficiaries that a grant review is not a cancellation. A review simply checks whether a beneficiary still meets the qualifying requirements — it can be triggered by a change in income, employment, marital status, address, contact details…

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chow – to eat / food. Often used when talking about food, this term can be used as a verb, meaning to eat, or when talking about the food itself.Example: “Let’s chow my bru!” / “This chow is spicy!”

  2. Syria: You have two cows. They have been fighting for as long as you remember, but it is hard to remember anyway, because you are in Sweden.