Train pain: Cape Town is not giving up on running Metrorail

City of Cape Town councillor Angus McKenzie maintains the Democratic Alliance run metro would not give up its fight to have national government cede management responsibility of the Metrorail network in that city.

McKenzie spoke to Fin24 on Friday on the sidelines of the International Transport Forum Summit in Leipzig Germany. His remarks come as the Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality has pressed on with its legal application to manage its own Metrorail network.

Metrorail networks currently fall under the responsibility of the national government. Cape Town’s own trains and stations have been beset with vandalism, aging infrastructure and delays.

McKenzie told Fin24 that if there was only one thing he would fix about Cape Town’s public transport system, it would be the Metrorail system.

“For Cape Town it’s really critical that we sort out Metrorail. The application is in. We are in the process of building additional lines to link certain areas outside the centre of the city. We want that power devolved to us.”

McKenzie said the City of Cape Town hoped to take on full management of the Metrorail network in the city, not only to refurbish the infrastructure and prevent vandalism, but to improve modalities in the network’s operations.

McKenzie said it was vital for the city to get residents to have a sense of ownership of the rail system and educate commuters about not destroying public services during protests.

*Fin24 reporter Khulekani Magubane was invited to cover the International Transport Forum in Leipzig, Germany.