A local man has lauded the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa for working hard to restore the Western Cape’s rail system.

As more trains have started operating again, congestion in and out of the CBD has reduced significantly. Lorenzo Davids is a social justice activist who says he uses the train as often as possible, as it is safe and cost-effective. Davids has thanked the rail agency’s acting regional manager Raymond Maseko for helping commuters by getting more trains running.

“I think it’s a great victory for public transport in this country, and in the Western Cape in particular. Raymond Maseko has done a wonderful job of restoring rail on the Cape Flats, and on the Northern, Central and Southern Suburbs lines,” said Davids.

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Earlier this year, Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis stated that close to 1 million Capetonians relied on trains before the COVID-19 pandemic, and when the service became less reliable. In the past, trains also frequently became the target of arsonists. Nationally, PRASA has resuscitated 31 of its 40 corridors.

“It’s an amazing feat under enormously difficult circumstances; dealing with land invasions, people living on tracks and building houses there, resistance from gangs and other extortionist groups. He (Maseko) has navigated this extremely well and the fact that it is functioning as well as it is doing in Cape Town is something that we should celebrate,” said Davids.

Last week, PRASA announced it has made huge progress in getting more trains back on track. The agency says a year ago, it transported 15 million passengers nationally which rose to 40 million passengers in March, signally a 200% increase.