A gravy train that meets taxpayer approval

It seems a lifetime ago that the Gauteng Rapid Rail Link (Gautrain) was first announced. Initial feasibility studies were completed in 1998 - and now, nearly a decade later, construction work is finally underway. The rapid transit line will eventually all

Gautrain was touted as the cure-all for congestion problems leading up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Delays in getting the project underway mean the entire network will not be completed in time for this major event. And there are still numerous problems, including threats of legal challenges to some of the proposed routes that could delay the project even further.

The government is throwing nearly R30 billion at this project - and while we will have to wait till after 2010 to fully appreciate the new service, it seems residents of Soweto may have their own 'train' well before that!

Private public partnership with a difference

This follows a joint announcement by government and a group of private Malaysian investors, who head up a consortium called Newcycv (New Sight Vision). They intend constructing a monorail line between Soweto and Johannesburg before November, 2009.

Head of Newcycv, JK Varathan declares that their "vision is for 2020. We are speaking to government on a daily basis, and we want South Africa's transport system to be 100% efficient by then." There are not too many details about how the consortium will fund the development. Indications are that the entire cost of the first phase of the project will be covered by the consortium.

The proposed monorail will have 39 stations, and run a length of 44.7 kilometres. If everything goes to plan, work will start in September this year. Initial estimates suggest the system could transport up to 1.5 million passengers per day. The impact of such a system on the transport grid in the area would be significant. Of course, a great deal hinges on the financial viability of the project.

The ink on the press release was hardly dry before negative news began filtering through the system. It appears a similar monorail system in Kuala Lumpur is in serious financial trouble. An article in the Business Report states that "the Kuala Lumpur system that the local link is modelled on was being repossessed by Bank Pembangunan Malaysian for defaulting on loans..."
 
Boosting growth with safer public transport

There is little doubt that safe and efficient public transport will contribute significantly to economic growth in South Africa. The introduction of an overhead monorail between Johannesburg and Soweto will hopefully go some way toward easing the congestion on the cities roads. It will also improve the quality of life of those who have previously had to wait in endless queues to catch taxis to work in the city.

A lot can happen in two years. There are plenty of questions that still have to be answered before the promised monorail is built. Will this consortium be able to secure the required funding - and will the international investors be happy with governments Black Economic Empowerment conditions? We will have to wait and see.

At the moment we choose to get excited about anything that promises to improve the lot of the South Africa commuter. Especially if it does so without making use of our hard earned tax rand!

Editor's thoughts:
Building a monorail between Soweto and Johannesburg is a fantastic idea. Getting a foreign consortium to foot the bill is possibly even better. The question begging to be asked right now is, "Why has a South African consortium not stepped up to the plate to provide such a transport solution?" Send your thoughts on the matter to gareth@fanews.co.za.