Cape Town - As part of his R1 billion security plan, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has roped in spies and the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) to tackle the extortion racket that has stopped the reconstruction of the Central Line in its tracks.
The minister has established national and regional control rooms and the use of CCTV technology to protect the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) infrastructure, which is being picked apart and held back by criminals.
Mbalula revealed his strategy to deal with criminality on the Central Line in response to EFF MP Makosini Chabangu, who asked how he was planning to spend the R1bn, three-year security budget.
To deal with the extortion, he said Prasa had formed a task team comprising police, crime intelligence, the State Security Agency, which is now housed in the presidency, the AGU and other cluster operations.
When Covid-19 brought trains to a halt in 2020, a slew of problems, including the theft of infrastructure and land invasions, beset the rail line in various areas.
Extortion on the Central Line, via Bonteheuwel and Netreg, was thrust into the spotlight after a video surfaced in August of two men brandishing assault rifles.
Mbalula has been on a mission to reconstruct the Central Line.
However, DA ward 15 sub-council chair Angus McKenzie is doubtful whether this plan will see the light of day.
Though Mbalula said he had held meetings with “relevant councillors and sub-council chairs,” McKenzie said his ward was the worst affected, and Mbalula had not met him at all.
In his parliamentary reply, Mbalula said: “As part of the integrated security plan for Prasa, the leadership of Prasa have completed specifications and procurement processes in place for the integration of technological platforms for the central command and control.
“The specification for control rooms (national and regional) are completed, and procurement procedures are being implemented. These technologies include CCTV, access control, e-guarding, and technologies to be integrated to build uniformity and capacity.”
He said the security plan’s phase 2 zeroed in on security technology and infrastructure packages that would be released on tender next month, but these could only come into use on March 1 next year.
“This is done as the business needed to catch up on renovations and work from other divisions prior to the installation of technology. The business units have upgraded infrastructure, which enables Prasa’s Protection Services to release its requirements,” Mbalula said.
Mbalula said Prasa was working with sub-council chairpersons and councillors to find the reasons behind the extortion and other crimes and identify the reasons behind all the crimes affecting the Central Line, “including engagements with business forums and small businesses that are being manipulated”.
McKenzie said: “Upfront, I do not believe it. Also, he has not engaged me as a sub-council chairperson of the worst affected sections of the Central Line. My office door has never been closed to him or his department.”
McKenzie said something as basic as armed security guards, which Mbalula had promised for years, sets the tone “for this outrageous promise not to be delivered on”.
He said residents had been waiting since June for work to begin on the Central Line.
McKenzie said it was clear there was no interest or intention to get the rail line up and running again.
“The transport minister should rather place his focus and energy on devolving the powers of rail to the municipality, who will be in a better position to ensure it is managed in an effective manner to ensure that thousands have a sustainable transport solution,” he said.
Last month, Prasa told Parliament that it forecast expenditure of R2.2bn on reviving corridors and R59bn on renewing stock nationally.