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The total financial loss of train coaches from April 2018 due to aging stock, vandalism, theft and derailment amounted to more than R630m, Transport Minister Blade Nzimande said.
In a written reply to a question from DA MP Manny de Freitas, Nzimande shared how many train coaches of Metrorail and Shosholoza Meyl were lost and the value of the losses since April 1.
A total of 127 Metrorail coaches were lost due to vandalism, including theft. A total of 262 coaches were lost due to derailments and accidents, and 550 were lost due to theft. The value of the losses amounted to more than R624m, the reply read.
A total of 613 Shosholoza Meyl coaches were lost due to ageing.
A total of five locomotives and 24 coaches were lost due to vandalism, including theft, while a total of nine coaches were lost due to derailments and accidents, Nzimande said. The value of the losses amounted to over R11.6m, according to the reply.
Maintenance costs
The total cost of maintenance for existing coaches came to R725.7m. The total cost of a general overhaul of coaches came to R1.5bn.
Specifically for Metrorail, the cost of maintenance of existing train coaches totaled R452m. The general overhaul of existing coaches amounted to R1.1bn. During the period six new car trains were purchased from Gibela for a total of R220m, the reply read.
The cost of maintenance of existing train coaches of Shosholoza Meyl amounted to R237.7m. The general overhaul of existing coaches amounted to R390.7m.
