Just a week after the new trains began operating in the Mabopane corridor in Tshwane, one car unit rolled into another as technicians were trying to attend to a problem on Monday morning.
The incident caused a 30-minute delay on the Mabopane line, Gauteng Metrorail spokesperson Lillian Mofokeng said.
Mofokeng said the incident happened at about 5.30am between Mabopane and Soshanguve.
“A train en route to Mabopane station experienced a technical fault outside Soshanguve station at approximately 5.30am. The technical team, upon attending to the fault by uncoupling the set, experienced a roll back of the set onto the other, causing a collision,” Mofokeng said.
“The train set had eight staff members and no commuters at the time of the incident. The first Metrorail train from Mabopane to Pretoria was delayed by 30 minutes and all other trains were operating on schedule.
"The estimated cost of the damaged new rolling stock is not yet known and assessors were at the scene to make the determination. [There were] no damages to the infrastructure. Investigation of the incident is under way.”
Hawker Bongani Mahlangu, 28, said that he heard a loud bang.
“I was very surprised and cannot stop wondering how the trains collided when there is more than one rail[way track],” said Mahlangu. “We thought Metrorail has upped their game but now I cannot shake the feeling that more trouble is coming.”
He said he also could not stop wondering what was going to happen if there were commuters in the train.
Commuters were concerned that their new trains were already having problems.
“We feel very bad about the whole situation. Our view is that the trains are safe but it is the technicians that did not do the right thing. They were not supposed to disconnect trains on the spot where they did so because it is not flat...
"Everyone knows that between Soshanguve and Mabopane there is a downward slope. You cannot disconnect trains there because it is not flat,” said Agnes Lengwati, regional spokesperson of the United Commuter Voice.
Metrorail parent company, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), opened the Mabopane line last week, parading the new trains to the public.
About 300,000 commuters used the Mabopane line every week before it was closed in 2019. Transport minister Fikile Mbalula visited the line last week after its opening on Monday.
Prasa told Sowetan last year that it had spent more than R600m fixing infrastructure, which included rebuilding 14 substations along the line.
About 60km of railway line had been rehabilitated, 23 train stations and signalling equipment were repaired or replaced, while a 100km precast concrete wall fitted with security technology, and eight pedestrian bridges, were built.
Train crash causes delay on Mabopane line
New trains but same old Metrorail, commuters fear
Image: Twitter
Just a week after the new trains began operating in the Mabopane corridor in Tshwane, one car unit rolled into another as technicians were trying to attend to a problem on Monday morning.
The incident caused a 30-minute delay on the Mabopane line, Gauteng Metrorail spokesperson Lillian Mofokeng said.
Mofokeng said the incident happened at about 5.30am between Mabopane and Soshanguve.
“A train en route to Mabopane station experienced a technical fault outside Soshanguve station at approximately 5.30am. The technical team, upon attending to the fault by uncoupling the set, experienced a roll back of the set onto the other, causing a collision,” Mofokeng said.
“The train set had eight staff members and no commuters at the time of the incident. The first Metrorail train from Mabopane to Pretoria was delayed by 30 minutes and all other trains were operating on schedule.
"The estimated cost of the damaged new rolling stock is not yet known and assessors were at the scene to make the determination. [There were] no damages to the infrastructure. Investigation of the incident is under way.”
Hawker Bongani Mahlangu, 28, said that he heard a loud bang.
“I was very surprised and cannot stop wondering how the trains collided when there is more than one rail[way track],” said Mahlangu. “We thought Metrorail has upped their game but now I cannot shake the feeling that more trouble is coming.”
He said he also could not stop wondering what was going to happen if there were commuters in the train.
Commuters were concerned that their new trains were already having problems.
“We feel very bad about the whole situation. Our view is that the trains are safe but it is the technicians that did not do the right thing. They were not supposed to disconnect trains on the spot where they did so because it is not flat...
"Everyone knows that between Soshanguve and Mabopane there is a downward slope. You cannot disconnect trains there because it is not flat,” said Agnes Lengwati, regional spokesperson of the United Commuter Voice.
Metrorail parent company, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), opened the Mabopane line last week, parading the new trains to the public.
About 300,000 commuters used the Mabopane line every week before it was closed in 2019. Transport minister Fikile Mbalula visited the line last week after its opening on Monday.
Prasa told Sowetan last year that it had spent more than R600m fixing infrastructure, which included rebuilding 14 substations along the line.
About 60km of railway line had been rehabilitated, 23 train stations and signalling equipment were repaired or replaced, while a 100km precast concrete wall fitted with security technology, and eight pedestrian bridges, were built.
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