Thank you for the opportunity Fifi.
Fellow South Africans,
We gather here not merely to present data and statistics, but to sound a resounding call to action. The State of Safety Report 2022/23 has unveiled a stark reality that demands our immediate attention and collective effort.
In the heart of South Africa, our railways, the lifeblood of our nation, are at a crossroads. The report has cast a revealing light on the challenges and triumphs within our railway sector, and it underscores the urgency for co-operation among all stakeholders. Our railways, connecting cities and communities, have seen 10,746 negative events in the past year – a disconcerting number that encompasses 1,833 safety-related operational occurrences and a staggering 8,643 security-related incidents. These events paint a complex and multifaceted picture of safety concerns that plagues our railway system.
Over a span of five years, these negative events have persistently affected the safety profile of our railways. This is not a mere statistic but a call for resolute action and reform.
Operator productivity, a cornerstone of our railway system, is under siege. Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) recorded a 12% decrease in train kilometers, reflecting issues like rolling stock unavailability, floods, and vandalism. Conversely, Gautrain witnessed a 156% increase in train kilometers and a 136% rise in passenger kilometers, while PRASA’s production declined by a staggering 74%, primarily due to challenges like MLPS service disruptions and vandalism.
Safety-related operational occurrences, while showing improvement in some areas, reveal significant concerns in “People related occurrences: station infrastructure” and “Spillage/leakage, explosion or loss of dangerous goods.” These occurrences not only disrupt our railways but also compound the risks we face.
Security-related incidents constitute a mammoth challenge, with 97% of these incidents being theft and vandalism. Theft of assets alone accounted for 77.6% of these incidents, illustrating the gravity of these issues.
Between 2018/19 and 2022/23, the railway sector recorded 109.5 Fatality and Weighting Index (FWI) incidents, with 92 fatalities and 175 injuries from safety-related operational occurrences and 13 fatalities and 58 injuries from security-related incidents. While there has been a reduction in FWIs, we must not underestimate the gravity of these incidents. Our vigilance and mitigation efforts must persist.
Collisions, derailments, level crossing occurrences, and people struck by trains all demand our immediate attention. Collisions, though lacking fatalities, are a stark reminder of the need for infrastructure improvements and enhanced operational safety measures. The increase in derailments per million train kilometers is a clear signal of persistent risks.
The decrease in level crossing occurrences must not obscure the fact that they still result in fatalities and injuries. These intersections require enhanced safety measures. We also witnessed a substantial decrease in the number of people struck by trains, but regions like Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape still need targeted safety measures.
Platform-Train Interchange (PTI) occurrences decreased, but they continue to result in fatalities and injuries, especially in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape. We must ensure improved safety at these interchanges.
The report delves into various security concerns, focusing on theft and malicious damage to property. The growing incidents of illegally crossing railway lines emphasize the need for enhanced railway security.
In response to these challenges, the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) has undertaken various interventions, including safety permits issuance, inspections, audits, and the development of regulations and safety standards. However, the journey ahead is long and demanding, and we must rise to the occasion.
Ladies and gentlemen, the State of Safety Report 2022/23 is not merely a report; it is a mirror that reflects the challenges and opportunities before us. Our railways are the veins that connect our nation, and we cannot allow them to wither away. It is our collective responsibility to take immediate action, to collaborate, and to drive the reforms necessary to ensure the safety, reliability, and prosperity of our railways. Let us work together to pave a brighter future for South Africa’s railway system.
Thank you.
Deputy Minister of Transport, Honorable Lisa Mangcu, Releases the 2022/23 State of Safety Report https://t.co/9EQKc784PJ #ArriveAlive #RailSafety @Dotransport @Rail_Safety
– Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) October 26, 2023
