South African railway operator Metrorail unveiled the new and improved blue trains as part of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s modernisation programme in 2017. These trains were set to carry passengers to various train stations, including the Mabopane and Pretoria stations.
Isitimela Sabantu pic.twitter.com/8cAzypISB0
— PRASA Group (@PRASA_Group) January 19, 2022
However, the Mabopane station suffered extreme vandalism – like many others across the country – during the harsh lockdown of 2020. Cables were stolen, and infrastructure was stripped of metal and other parts.
Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula stated that the government spent over R700 million in repairing and upgrading the infrastructure on the Mabopane station, according to IOL.
Train commuters breathed a sigh of relief when the Mabopane to Pretoria line resumed operations after a nearly two-year-long absence on January 17.
However, that relief was short-lived, as on January 24, two Metrorail trains were involved in a collision near Soshanguve station outside Pretoria, according to TimesLive.
Am convinced nothing will ever go smoothly in this country. Not even a month of these trains moving in Mabopane already they have collided. pic.twitter.com/yKsSfiHnr3
— Dumizulu Ka Nkwanyana 🇿🇦 12March (@LaDumezulu) January 24, 2022
A train en route to Mabopane station experienced a technical fault, resulting in a rollback of the set to the other set. There were no commuters on this train, only eight staff members, and no one was injured.
Am convinced nothing will ever go smoothly in this country. Not even a month of these trains moving in Mabopane already they have collided. pic.twitter.com/yKsSfiHnr3
— Dumizulu Ka Nkwanyana 🇿🇦 12March (@LaDumezulu) January 24, 2022
However, as a result, the train from Mabopane to Pretoria was delayed by half an hour. The damage is not yet determined but is being assessed. No further delays are expected.
Picture: Screenshot from video
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