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South Africa

Joburg train crash: Mbalula demands full investigation

In mid-2015, after some of the Afro4000s had already been shipped to South Africa, it was revealed in Rapport newspaper that the locomotives were too tall for South Africa’s rail specifications. Photo: Wikicommons/Col André Kritzinger

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has called for a full investigation into the cause of a train collision on Johannesburg's West Rand.

A Premier Classe passenger train, which is operated by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), collided with a stationary Transnet goods train between Roodepoort and Horizon View station at 21:53 on Wednesday.

One person died in the crash and five others sustained injuries and were taken to hospital. There were 31 passengers on board the Premier Classe train, 14 of who were staff members.

In a statement on Thursday, Mbalula sent his condolences to the bereaved and wished the injured a full recovery.

Mbalula welcomed a police probe and other investigative efforts, his spokesperson Ayanda-Allie Paine said.

“Minister Mbalula has expressed full confidence that the Administrator, working with relevant authorities, will find the cause and devise strategies to minimise similar occurrences in future.”

Alternative transport has been arranged to take passengers to their respective destinations.

Metrorail services will be affected along the Randfontein to Johannesburg lines with commuters advised to make alternative transport arrangements, Paine said.

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