Author: Sandiso Phaliso

The Shosholoza Meyl has been beset with problems. My journey last week on the train from Johannesburg to Durban saw no improvement. The train broke down numerous times. The longest delay was eight hours. After stopping for long periods between stations, perhaps 20 times, the last time, in Ladysmith, some commuters left the train in search of alternative transport. Those of us who opted to wait on the train were eventually taken by bus to Durban. The Shosholoza Meyl is operated by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and is the country’s long distance rail service. Many people…

Anele Gxekwa, from Crossroads, who earns R3,500 a month as a cleaner, spends R1,200 of it on transport. This is because Metrorail’s return to service in Cape Town has been so limited it has left most commuters dependent on minibus taxis and buses which are much more expensive. A return Metrorail trip from Nyanga to Cape Town, which costs R18, costs R50 by minibus. The weekly Metrorail ticket is R59, by minibus it costs R250. A Metrorail monthly ticket costs R175, while taxi fare is about R1,000. Work-seekers are also very hard hit. Mkhuseli Sishuba, who is unemployed and from…