Surge in Rail Infrastructure Thefts and Vandalism Revealed in Prasa Report

The South African rail sector faces a significant challenge as it confronts a raging epidemic of theft and vandalism. A newly released report from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) indicates a "staggering" 8,643 security-related incidents recorded throughout the last year. Deputy Transport Minister Lisa Nkosinathi Mangcu responded to the disquieting findings by issuing a call for immediate, collaborative efforts to curb this escalating criminality.

The report, titled "State of Safety Report 2022/23," and prepared by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), uncovers the severity of theft-related assets within SA railways - accounting for 77.6% of all incidences recorded. These incidents, Mangcu states, emphasize the pressing need for cooperative action among all stakeholders in the rail sector.

Substantial operational disruptions arising from these security incidents are attributed to a variety of factors such as pedestrians being hit by trains or injured due to derailments, and losses associated with dangerous good spillages or leaks. The report also issued concerning figures of 92 fatalities and 175 injuries from safety-related operational occurrences along with 13 fatalities and 58 injuries resulting from security-related incidents.

Prasa's output has been severely impacted, with a 74% decrease in production due primarily to service disruptions and pervasive vandalism. This compares starkly with increased activity on GAUTRAIN, which has reported a 156% rise in train kilometers and a 136% growth in passenger kilometers.

RSR board chair, Boy Johannes Nobunga, assures of his commitment to tackling these systemic issues head-on, underscoring the essential role of safety standards, inspections, and regulations in mitigating these challenges. The RSR aims to partner with railway operators and relevant authorities to enhance safety measures, improve infrastructural resilience and work towards curbing asset theft and vandalism.