No data available for the deliverable: Complete the rolling stock modernisation programme
No data available for the deliverable: Complete the rolling stock modernisation programme
No data available for the deliverable: Complete the rolling stock modernisation programme
No data available for the deliverable: Complete the rolling stock modernisation programme
No data available for the deliverable: Complete the rolling stock modernisation programme
Summary
The rolling stock modernisation programme represents a critical component of passenger rail recovery, centred on a R51bn contract for manufacturing 3,600 coaches (600 trains) to replace outdated trains and technnology. Reliable trains are vital for a safe and efficient passenger rail system. The plan is to improve reliability, cut delays and offer a safer, more comfortable journey. This can also support local jobs, manufacturing and better integration with other transport, making rail a viable alternative to private cars for millions. Prasa has allocated over R50bn for this between 2024-2027 and by the start of this year, 96 new electric multiple units were in service, with 241 trains planned as part of the renewal. However, delivery lags corridor restoration. The Gibela manufacturing facility on the East Rand, for instance, has produced new trains at a faster rate than Prasa can absorb them into operational service due to delayed upgrades of depot infrastructure. New trains are therefore left standing idle due to the lack of necessary equipment and technical capacity to maintain and deploy them.
View DetailsIs it working?
There are strong early results, including rising passenger numbers, progress in corridor restoration and an estimated R1bn in tax revenue generated in 2024. However, ongoing vandalism, theft and a lack of operational readiness continue to undermine overall efficacy.
Actions
Institutional actions include the establishment of the Gibela local manufacturing facility on the East Rand for train production with a 65% minimum local content requirement, parliamentary oversight and comprehensive plans to recover stations by the end of 2025.
Are there plans?
Comprehensive plans have been developed and published. These include Prasa's 2022–2025 corporate plan, Operation Vulindlela 2.0 reform priorities and a rolling stock fleet renewable programme, which entails a R51bn contract with Gibela for 3,600 coaches over 10-year period (2015-2025).
Is it on the agenda?
Yes, it is a key reform area of Operation Vulindlela 2.0. Both the President and DoT ministers have reinforced this priority at conferences and during public addresses. Additionally, the Select Committee on Public Infrastructure conducted an oversight visit to Prasa in March 2025.
Goals
Manufacture 3,600 coaches (600 trains) to replace Prasa's antiquated 1950s technology with world-class standards, improve reliability, cut delays and offer a safer, more comfortable journey.
Departments / Govt Institutions
Summary
The rolling stock modernisation programme represents a critical component of passenger rail recovery, centred on a R51bn contract for manufacturing 3,600 coaches (600 trains) to replace outdated trains and technology. The plan is to improve reliability, cut delays and offer a safer, more comfortable journey. This can also support local jobs, manufacturing and better integration with other transport, making rail a viable alternative to private cars for millions. Prasa has allocated over R50bn for this between 2024-2027 and by the start of this year, 96 new electric multiple units were in service, with 241 trains planned as part of the renewal. However, delivery lags corridor restoration. The Gibela manufacturing facility on the East Rand, for instance, has produced new trains at a faster rate than Prasa can absorb them into operational service due to delayed upgrades of depot infrastructure. New trains are therefore left standing idle due to the lack of necessary equipment and technical capacity to maintain and deploy them.
View DetailsIs it working?
There are strong early results, including rising passenger numbers, progress in corridor restoration and an estimated R1bn in tax revenue generated in 2024. However, ongoing vandalism, theft and a lack of operational readiness continue to undermine overall efficacy.
Actions
Institutional actions include the establishment of the Gibela local manufacturing facility on the East Rand for train production (with a 65% minimum local content requirement), parliamentary oversight and comprehensive plans to recover stations by the end of 2025.
Are there plans?
Comprehensive plans have been developed and published. These include Prasa's 2022–2025 corporate plan, Operation Vulindlela 2.0 reform priorities and a rolling stock fleet renewable programme, which entails a R51bn contract with Gibela for 3,600 coaches over 10-year period (2015-2025).
Is it on the agenda?
Yes, it is a key reform area of Operation Vulindlela 2.0. Both the President and DoT ministers have reinforced this priority at conferences and during public addresses. Additionally, the Select Committee on Public Infrastructure conducted an oversight visit to Prasa in March 2025.
Goals
Manufacture 3,600 coaches (600 trains) to replace Prasa's antiquated 1950s technology with world-class standards, improve reliability, cut delays and offer a safer, more comfortable journey.
Departments / Govt Institutions
Summary
The rolling stock modernisation programme represents a critical component of passenger rail recovery, centred on a R51bn contract for manufacturing 3,600 coaches (600 trains) to replace outdated trains and technology. The plan is to improve reliability, cut delays and offer a safer, more comfortable journey. This can also support local jobs, manufacturing and better integration with other transport, making rail a viable alternative to private cars for millions. Prasa has allocated over R50bn for this between 2024 and 2027. By the start of this year, 96 new electric multiple units were in service, with 241 trains planned as part of the renewal. However, delivery lags corridor restoration. The Gibela manufacturing facility on the East Rand, for instance, has produced new trains at a faster rate than Prasa can absorb them into operational service due to delayed upgrades of depot infrastructure. New trains are therefore left standing idle due to the lack of necessary equipment and technical capacity to maintain and deploy them.
View DetailsIs it working?
There are strong early results, including rising passenger numbers, progress in corridor restoration and an estimated R1bn in tax revenue generated in 2024. However, ongoing vandalism, theft and a lack of operational readiness continue to undermine overall efficacy.
Actions
Institutional actions include the establishment of the Gibela local manufacturing facility on the East Rand for train production (with a 65% minimum local content requirement), parliamentary oversight and comprehensive plans to recover stations by the end of 2025.
Are there plans?
Comprehensive plans have been developed and published. These include Prasa's 2022–2025 corporate plan, Operation Vulindlela 2.0 reform priorities and a rolling stock fleet renewable programme, which entails a R51bn contract with Gibela for 3,600 coaches over 10-year period (2015-2025).
Is it on the agenda?
Yes, it is a key reform area of Operation Vulindlela 2.0. Both the President and DoT ministers have reinforced this priority at conferences and during public addresses. Additionally, the Select Committee on Public Infrastructure conducted an oversight visit to Prasa in March 2025.
Goals
Manufacture 3,600 coaches (600 trains) to replace Prasa's antiquated 1950s technology with world-class standards, improve reliability, cut delays and offer a safer, more comfortable journey.
Departments / Govt Institutions
Summary
Parliament passed the 2026 Special Appropriations Bill on 18 April 2026, allocating R5.8bn in additional funding for PRASA's rolling stock fleet renewal programme. Of this, R1.8bn covers the minimum annual order under PRASA's contract with Gibela Rail Transport – the locally based manufacturer producing 600 new X'Trapolis Mega trains under a government-backed industrial programme. Without the allocation, PRASA would have breached the contract and lost the manufacturing pipeline. The appropriation keeps fleet delivery on track but does not resolve the primary operational constraint: 241 of the 600 trains have been delivered, and the new fleet cannot run at full frequency until the multi-year signalling programme reaches the corridors where they operate.
No new public announcements on PRASA's rolling stock modernisation emerged in the April-June 2026 window. On the private freight side, Traxtion's R3.4bn rolling stock programme (46 locomotives shipping in four tranches from April 2026 to August 2027) is targeting mainline operations by Q3 2026, though this relates to freight rather than PRASA passenger stock.
Is it working?
New trains are contributing to ridership recovery but the full fleet is not yet delivered, and signalling gaps constrain operational frequency on most corridors.
New X'Trapolis Mega trainsets carry up to 2,400 passengers per set and operate on resignalled corridors. PRASA reported that ridership reached 77 million passenger journeys in 2024/25, up from approximately 15 million in 2022/23, with the new fleet cited as a key driver. Signalling deficiencies on non-resignalled corridors limit the frequency and revenue potential of the new rolling stock. Full fleet utilisation depends on the multi-year signalling programme reaching completion.
Actions
241 trains have been delivered and the R5.8bn appropriation has been passed by Parliament, but delivery of the full 600-train fleet is incomplete and signalling constraints limit operational deployment.
Parliament's Appropriations Committee adopted the 2026 Special Appropriations Bill on 18 April 2026, including R5.8bn for PRASA's rolling stock programme and R1.8bn specifically to meet Gibela minimum order obligations. Committee chair Mmusi Maimane conditioned the transfer on regular parliamentary reporting (EWN, 18 April 2026). Trains are in service on the Cape Town Southern and Northern corridors and in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. The mega-signalling programme to enable full fleet deployment is under way but multi-year.
Are there plans?
The Gibela contract sets out a clear delivery schedule for 600 trains and the mega-signalling programme is separately planned and funded.
PRASA's fleet renewal is governed by the Gibela contract for 600 X'Trapolis Mega trainsets, manufactured locally. The 2026 Budget's R23.1bn signalling allocation provides a funded plan to deploy the full fleet at viable operational frequencies. The Gibela contract requires a minimum order of 35 locomotives per year, which the 2026 Special Appropriations Bill explicitly funds.
Is it on the agenda?
Rolling stock renewal is explicitly funded in the 2026 Budget and the Special Appropriations Bill and is a named commitment in OV Phase II.
The 2026 Special Appropriations Bill allocated R5.8bn for PRASA's rolling stock fleet renewal programme. The Budget Facility for Infrastructure approved R21.9bn across five infrastructure projects, including corridor recovery. OV Phase II reform action 21 covers rolling stock modernisation as part of restoring passenger rail services.
Goals
Manufacture 3,600 coaches (600 trains) to replace Prasa's antiquated 1950s technology with world-class standards, improve reliability, cut delays and offer a safer, more comfortable journey.
Departments / Govt Institutions
Summary
Parliament passed the 2026 Special Appropriations Bill on 18 April 2026, allocating R5.8bn in additional funding for PRASA's rolling stock fleet renewal programme. Of this, R1.8bn covers the minimum annual order under PRASA's contract with Gibela Rail Transport – the locally based manufacturer producing 600 new X'Trapolis Mega trains under a government-backed industrial programme. Without the allocation, PRASA would have breached the contract and lost the manufacturing pipeline. The appropriation keeps fleet delivery on track but does not resolve the primary operational constraint. While in Q2 of 2026 97 additional trains were delivered - 338 of 600 trains - the new fleet cannot run at full frequency until the multi-year signalling programme reaches the corridors where they operate. There is no Q3 2026 update on this reform.
View DetailsIs it working?
New trains are contributing to ridership recovery but the full fleet is not yet delivered, and signalling gaps constrain operational frequency on most corridors.
New X'Trapolis Mega trainsets carry up to 2,400 passengers per set and operate on re-signalled corridors. PRASA reported that ridership reached 77 million passenger journeys in 2024/25, up from approximately 15 million in 2022/23, with the new fleet cited as a key driver. Signalling deficiencies on non-resignalled corridors limit the frequency and revenue potential of the new rolling stock. Full fleet utilisation depends on the multi-year signalling programme reaching completion.
Actions
Delivery continued at pace, but the fleet remains well short of full delivery and commissioning, so this stays as partial implementation.
The OV Phase II Q1 2026/27 report (31 July 2026) records that Gibela is producing six to seven train sets a month and has delivered 338 of the 600 X'Trapolis Mega sets, up from the 241 recorded at the 30 June baseline. The report reconfirms the R5.8bn Budget 2026 allocation; no new appropriation event occurred this quarter. The multi-year mega-signalling programme continued its rollout, with testing under way in KwaZulu-Natal, but no corridor reached signalling completion in the quarter.
Are there plans?
The existing plan – the Gibela contract's delivery schedule and the 2026 Budget's R23.1bn signalling allocation – remains the governing plan.
Is it on the agenda?
Rolling stock renewal is explicitly funded in the 2026 Budget and the Special Appropriations Bill and is a named commitment in OV Phase II.
The 2026 Special Appropriations Bill allocated R5.8bn for PRASA's rolling stock fleet renewal programme. The Budget Facility for Infrastructure approved R21.9bn across five infrastructure projects, including corridor recovery. OV Phase II reform action 21 covers rolling stock modernisation as part of restoring passenger rail services.
Goals
Manufacture 3,600 coaches (600 trains) to replace Prasa's antiquated 1950s technology with world-class standards, improve reliability, cut delays and offer a safer, more comfortable journey.
Departments / Govt Institutions
Summary
Parliament passed the 2026 Special Appropriations Bill on 18 April 2026, allocating R5.8bn in additional funding for PRASA's rolling stock fleet renewal programme. Of this, R1.8bn covers the minimum annual order under PRASA's contract with Gibela Rail Transport – the locally based manufacturer producing 600 new X'Trapolis Mega trains under a government-backed industrial programme. Without the allocation, PRASA would have breached the contract and lost the manufacturing pipeline. The appropriation keeps fleet delivery on track but does not resolve the primary operational constraint. While in Q2 of 2026 97 additional trains were delivered - 338 of 600 trains - the new fleet cannot run at full frequency until the multi-year signalling programme reaches the corridors where they operate. There is no Q3 2026 update on this reform.
View DetailsIs it working?
New trains are contributing to ridership recovery but the full fleet is not yet delivered, and signalling gaps constrain operational frequency on most corridors.
New X'Trapolis Mega trainsets carry up to 2,400 passengers per set and operate on re-signalled corridors. PRASA reported that ridership reached 77 million passenger journeys in 2024/25, up from approximately 15 million in 2022/23, with the new fleet cited as a key driver. Signalling deficiencies on non-resignalled corridors limit the frequency and revenue potential of the new rolling stock. Full fleet utilisation depends on the multi-year signalling programme reaching completion.
Actions
Delivery continued at pace, but the fleet remains well short of full delivery and commissioning, so this stays as partial implementation.
The OV Phase II Q1 2026/27 report (31 July 2026) records that Gibela is producing six to seven train sets a month and has delivered 338 of the 600 X'Trapolis Mega sets, up from the 241 recorded at the 30 June baseline. The report reconfirms the R5.8bn Budget 2026 allocation; no new appropriation event occurred this quarter. The multi-year mega-signalling programme continued its rollout, with testing under way in KwaZulu-Natal, but no corridor reached signalling completion in the quarter.
Are there plans?
The existing plan – the Gibela contract's delivery schedule and the 2026 Budget's R23.1bn signalling allocation – remains the governing plan.
Is it on the agenda?
Rolling stock renewal is explicitly funded in the 2026 Budget and the Special Appropriations Bill and is a named commitment in OV Phase II.
The 2026 Special Appropriations Bill allocated R5.8bn for PRASA's rolling stock fleet renewal programme. The Budget Facility for Infrastructure approved R21.9bn across five infrastructure projects, including corridor recovery. OV Phase II reform action 21 covers rolling stock modernisation as part of restoring passenger rail services.
Goals
Manufacture 3,600 coaches (600 trains) to replace Prasa's antiquated 1950s technology with world-class standards, improve reliability, cut delays and offer a safer, more comfortable journey.
Departments / Govt Institutions
No data available for the deliverable: Develop a roadmap for passenger rail including a strategy to manage devolution to capable local and regional authorities
No data available for the deliverable: Develop a roadmap for passenger rail including a strategy to manage devolution to capable local and regional authorities
No data available for the deliverable: Develop a roadmap for passenger rail including a strategy to manage devolution to capable local and regional authorities
No data available for the deliverable: Develop a roadmap for passenger rail including a strategy to manage devolution to capable local and regional authorities
No data available for the deliverable: Develop a roadmap for passenger rail including a strategy to manage devolution to capable local and regional authorities
Summary
Prasa's centralised model has underperformed, prompting the 2022 National Rail Policy to support municipal devolution. Originally scheduled for completion by 2024, the strategy has been delayed continuously and no draft version exists.
View DetailsIs it working?
Not yet operational. No metro has taken operational control. Pilot implementation and outcomes will only emerge post-2026.
Actions
The National Rail Policy was approved by Cabinet in 2022 and a service level plan was signed between Cape Town and Prasa in December 2024. Cape Town has emerged as the pilot municipality for devolution and has commissioned business case development for multiple devolution models. However, implementation mechanisms and supporting strategy development remain outstanding and it is unclear when this will be completed.
Are there plans?
Yes, the National Rail Policy provides an overarching legal and policy framework for devolution. There is also implementation planning ongoing, with business plans for devolution models in development.
Is it on the agenda?
This has been in government policy documents and transport sector plans since 2022. It is also included in Operation Vulindlela's 2.0's passenger rail reform area.
Goals
The devolution strategy, outlined in the White Paper on the National Rail Policy (2022), provides for the assignment of responsibility for managing all urban rail functions to metropolitan municipalities.
References
Departments / Govt Institutions
Department of Transport The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) The Presidency Transnet
Summary
Prasa's centralised model has underperformed, prompting the 2022 National Rail Policy to support municipal devolution. Originally scheduled for completion by 2024, the strategy has been delayed continuously and no draft version exists.
View DetailsIs it working?
Not yet operational. No metro has taken operational control. Pilot implementation and outcomes will only emerge post-2026.
Actions
The National Rail Policy was approved by Cabinet in 2022 and a service level plan was signed between Cape Town and Prasa in December 2024. Cape Town has emerged as the pilot municipality for devolution and has commissioned business case development for multiple devolution models. However, implementation mechanisms and supporting strategy development remain outstanding and it is unclear when this will be completed.
Are there plans?
Yes, the National Rail Policy provides an overarching legal and policy framework for devolution. There is also implementation planning ongoing, with business plans for devolution models in development.
Is it on the agenda?
This has been in government policy documents and transport sector plans since 2022. It is also included in Operation Vulindlela's 2.0's passenger rail reform area.
Goals
The devolution strategy, outlined in the White Paper on the National Rail Policy (2022), provides for the assignment of responsibility for managing all urban rail functions to metropolitan municipalities.
References
Departments / Govt Institutions
Department of Transport The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) The Presidency Transnet
Summary
Prasa's centralised model has underperformed, prompting the 2022 National Rail Policy to support municipal devolution. Originally scheduled for completion by 2024, the strategy has been delayed continuously and no draft version exists.
View DetailsIs it working?
Not yet operational. No metro has taken operational control. Pilot implementation and outcomes will only emerge post-2026.
Actions
The National Rail Policy was approved by Cabinet in 2022 and a service level plan was signed between Cape Town and Prasa in December 2024. Cape Town has emerged as the pilot municipality for devolution and has commissioned business case development for multiple devolution models. However, implementation mechanisms and supporting strategy development remain outstanding and it is unclear when this will be completed.
Are there plans?
Yes, the National Rail Policy provides an overarching legal and policy framework for devolution. There is also implementation planning ongoing, with business plans for devolution models in development.
Is it on the agenda?
This has been in government policy documents and transport sector plans since 2022. It is also included in Operation Vulindlela's 2.0's passenger rail reform area.
Goals
The devolution strategy, outlined in the White Paper on the National Rail Policy (2022), provides for the assignment of responsibility for managing all urban rail functions to metropolitan municipalities.
References
Departments / Govt Institutions
Department of Transport The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) The Presidency Transnet
Summary
The gazetting of the draft National Rail master Plan (NRMP) on 1 April 2026 is the most significant development on this deliverable to date. It is the first time a comprehensive rail plan covering both passenger and freight, with a formal devolution provision, has been approved for public consultation. The plan is still a draft and the devolution component is prospective – no devolution strategy has been drafted and no lead authority has been assigned. The July 2026 consultation close and Q4 2026 Cabinet approval target are the critical next milestones.
Cabinet approved the draft National Rail Master Plan on 1 April 2026; public consultations run from 23 April-July 2026 before it returns to Cabinet for final sign-off. The plan explicitly backs devolving urban passenger rail to metros — supporting Cape Town's bid to manage Metrorail, with Gauteng and eThekwini's networks flagged for eventual devolution. Operation Vulindlela's Q4 report confirmed Cabinet approval as a key milestone, while the revised Network Statement and updated tariffs are still to be published.
Is it working?
No formally adopted roadmap exists; the devolution strategy is framed as a future policy document yet to be developed; no authority has been transferred to any municipality.
The NRMP is a draft under public consultation. Devolution is described in the plan as "future devolution of urban rail to municipalities, guided by a national devolution strategy". But the strategy itself does not yet exist. Cape Town signed a Service Level Plan with PRASA in December 2024 as a precursor to devolution, but no transfer of authority, assets or funding has commenced. The City of Cape Town's devolution business plan notes that national funding would be required and that restoration to 2012 service levels (620,000 daily passenger trips) is a prerequisite.
Actions
The NRMP has been gazetted and a structured national consultative process is under way, but the plan is not yet adopted and the devolution strategy does not yet exist.
Cabinet approved the gazetting of the draft NRMP on 1 April 2026. Public consultations were launched on 23 April 2026. A web-based consultation portal, GIS tools and a public comment mechanism are operational. Provincial engagements are scheduled through June 2026. The NRMP will be resubmitted to Cabinet after consultation closes.
Are there plans?
The draft NRMP provides a long-term framework including a devolution provision, but it is under public consultation and has not yet been formally adopted.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy launched public consultations on the draft NRMP in Gauteng on 23 April 2026. The plan sets out a R1.9 trillion, 30-year programme to restore rail as the backbone of South Africa's logistics and transport system. It includes the "future devolution of urban rail to municipalities, guided by a national devolution strategy". Public consultation closes in July 2026; Cabinet approval is targeted for Q4 2026 (Department of Transport, April 2026). The Department of Transport launched a web-based consultation platform at railmasterplan.co.za with GIS mapping and online comment submission. In-person engagements are planned across all nine provinces during May and June 2026. Cape Town tabled a business plan in November 2025 exploring nine devolution scenarios, of which three were identified as viable. Gauteng Province adopted its Integrated Transport Master Plan in Q1 2026, positioning rail as the backbone of a multimodal system co-ordinated through the Transport Authority for Gauteng.
Is it on the agenda?
Cabinet approved the National Rail Master Plan for public comment on 1 April 2026, placing it formally on the government agenda with a timeline for adoption. OV Phase II lists passenger rail restoration and planning as reform action 21. The NRMP covers freight and passenger rail and includes an explicit provision for the future devolution of urban rail to municipalities.
Goals
The devolution strategy, outlined in the White Paper on the National Rail Policy (2022), provides for the assignment of responsibility for managing all urban rail functions to metropolitan municipalities.
References
Departments / Govt Institutions
Department of Transport The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) The Presidency Transnet
Summary
The gazetting of the draft National Rail Master Plan (NRMP) on 1 April 2026 is the most significant development on this deliverable to date. The NRMP is a rail plan that covers both passenger and freight and entails formal devolution plans. The consultations and public comments on the NRMP ran till July 2026, with the next milestones being Cabinet approval.
However, the NRMP is a commitment to produce a structure and should not be read as a strategy in itself. Cape Town has done the most detailed preparatory work of any authority, specifying the powers, assets, funding and restoration conditions it wants, but that is a City of Cape Town position, not an agreement with the Department of Transport (DoT) or Prasa.
Is it working?
No devolution has taken effect and there is no operational outcome to assess yet.
PRASA remains responsible for passenger rail nationally, and no transfer date, pilot assignment, or signed implementation agreement has emerged. This stage will not move until an actual handover – most plausibly a Cape Town pilot – is agreed and begins.
Actions
A formal national consultation process ran and closed in the quarter, but no devolution-specific action – criteria, unit, funding mechanism – has yet been implemented.
Beyond the Cabinet approval and nine-province consultation process, no further national action was recorded in the July–September window: no capable-authority test has been published, the proposed Rail Planning Unit has not been established, and DoT had not yet confirmed submission of the final plan to Cabinet as at 22 September 2026.
Are there plans?
The draft NRMP provides a long-term framework including a devolution provision, but it is under public consultation and has not yet been formally adopted.
The 2022 White Paper on National Rail Policy first mandated a standalone Devolution Strategy for Commuter Rail, targeted for 2023 and then for a March 2024 draft but there is no evidence of this materialising. It resurfaces in the draft NRMP, which names a forthcoming National Devolution Strategy and a Rail Planning Unit to oversee it, but sets no date.
It is also worth noting that this doesn't feature in Operation Vulindlela's own quarterly reporting. Cape Town's August 2026 draft Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan goes further than any national document, setting out the specific conditions it says devolution requires: functional assignment of powers, transfer of both operations and infrastructure, sustainable national grant funding to cover the service's deficit, and restoration of the network to at least 2012 standards. This remains the city's own planning position, not an agreed national framework, and Cape Town's mayor has said publicly that the master plan confirms devolution "in principle" without setting timelines.
Is it on the agenda?
Cabinet approved the National Rail Master Plan for public comment on 1 April 2026, placing it formally on the government agenda with a timeline for adoption. OV Phase II lists passenger rail restoration and planning as reform action 21. The NRMP covers freight and passenger rail and includes an explicit provision for the future devolution of urban rail to municipalities.
Goals
The devolution strategy, outlined in the White Paper on the National Rail Policy (2022), provides for the assignment of responsibility for managing all urban rail functions to metropolitan municipalities.
References
Departments / Govt Institutions
Department of Transport The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) The Presidency Transnet
Summary
The gazetting of the draft National Rail Master Plan (NRMP) on 1 April 2026 is the most significant development on this deliverable to date. The NRMP is a rail plan that covers both passenger and freight and entails formal devolution plans. The consultations and public comments on the NRMP ran till July 2026, with the next milestones being Cabinet approval.
However, the NRMP is a commitment to produce a structure and should not be read as a strategy in itself. Cape Town has done the most detailed preparatory work of any authority, specifying the powers, assets, funding and restoration conditions it wants, but that is a City of Cape Town position, not an agreement with the Department of Transport (DoT) or Prasa.
Is it working?
No devolution has taken effect and there is no operational outcome to assess yet.
PRASA remains responsible for passenger rail nationally, and no transfer date, pilot assignment, or signed implementation agreement has emerged. This stage will not move until an actual handover – most plausibly a Cape Town pilot – is agreed and begins.
Actions
A formal national consultation process ran and closed in the quarter, but no devolution-specific action – criteria, unit, funding mechanism – has yet been implemented.
Beyond the Cabinet approval and nine-province consultation process, no further national action was recorded in the July–September window: no capable-authority test has been published, the proposed Rail Planning Unit has not been established, and DoT had not yet confirmed submission of the final plan to Cabinet as at 22 September 2026.
Are there plans?
The draft NRMP provides a long-term framework including a devolution provision, but it is under public consultation and has not yet been formally adopted.
The 2022 White Paper on National Rail Policy first mandated a standalone Devolution Strategy for Commuter Rail, targeted for 2023 and then for a March 2024 draft but there is no evidence of this materialising. It resurfaces in the draft NRMP, which names a forthcoming National Devolution Strategy and a Rail Planning Unit to oversee it, but sets no date.
It is also worth noting that this doesn't feature in Operation Vulindlela's own quarterly reporting. Cape Town's August 2026 draft Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan goes further than any national document, setting out the specific conditions it says devolution requires: functional assignment of powers, transfer of both operations and infrastructure, sustainable national grant funding to cover the service's deficit, and restoration of the network to at least 2012 standards. This remains the city's own planning position, not an agreed national framework, and Cape Town's mayor has said publicly that the master plan confirms devolution "in principle" without setting timelines.
Is it on the agenda?
Cabinet approved the National Rail Master Plan for public comment on 1 April 2026, placing it formally on the government agenda with a timeline for adoption. OV Phase II lists passenger rail restoration and planning as reform action 21. The NRMP covers freight and passenger rail and includes an explicit provision for the future devolution of urban rail to municipalities.
Goals
The devolution strategy, outlined in the White Paper on the National Rail Policy (2022), provides for the assignment of responsibility for managing all urban rail functions to metropolitan municipalities.
References
Departments / Govt Institutions
Department of Transport The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) The Presidency Transnet
No data available for the deliverable: Return passenger rail corridors and stations to service
No data available for the deliverable: Return passenger rail corridors and stations to service
No data available for the deliverable: Return passenger rail corridors and stations to service
No data available for the deliverable: Return passenger rail corridors and stations to service
No data available for the deliverable: Return passenger rail corridors and stations to service
No data available for the deliverable: Return passenger rail corridors and stations to service
No data available for the deliverable: Return passenger rail corridors and stations to service
No data available for the deliverable: Return passenger rail corridors and stations to service
Summary
PRASA has restored 35 of its 40 corridors and is recording strong ridership growth – from 15 million trips in 2022/23 to 77 million in 2024/25. The Mitchells Plain Kapteinsklip corridor is the most recent milestone. Signalling is now the primary constraint on frequency and the remaining five corridors. The R23.1bn signalling budget secured in the 2026 Budget is the critical enabler, but the programme is multi-year and delivery at the required pace is not yet demonstrated.
No new PRASA urban corridor updates emerged in the April-June 2026 window, and the GO programme forensic investigation remained ongoing as of early June 2026. On the freight side, TRIM concluded Rail Access Agreements with all 11 allocated TOCs — a major open-access milestone — and activated an ad hoc slot mechanism that enabled a proposed Cato Ridge–Durban short-haul service to ease port congestion. Some TOCs aim to be operational before end-2026, others by 2027.
Is it working?
Ridership has recovered substantially but remains far below pre-disruption levels, and service frequency on most corridors is still constrained by incomplete signalling.
PRASA achieved 77 million passenger journeys in 2024/25. The 2025/26 target is 116 million. PRASA stated in March 2026 that it is on track to reach 100 million journeys by end-2026. Pre-Covid annual ridership exceeded 600 million passenger trips. PRASA's X'Trapolis Mega trains carry up to 2,400 passengers per set, but incomplete signalling limits the frequency at which they can operate on most corridors.
Actions
A total of 35 of 40 corridors have been commissioned, a recent corridor reopened and the signalling budget has been secured, but five corridors remain non-operational and the signalling programme is incomplete.
By end-2025, PRASA had commissioned 35 of its 40 passenger corridors (SAnews, March 2026). The Kapteinsklip route on the Mitchells Plain corridor in Cape Town reopened in February 2026, following track, overhead electrical and signalling upgrades and station works completed in collaboration with the City of Cape Town. The Mabopane corridor in Gauteng and the Southern Line in the Western Cape are fully resignalled. The KwaZulu-Natal signalling rollout is in progress; the Eastern Cape has received no resignalling. The 2026 Special Appropriations Bill allocated R5.8bn for PRASA's rolling stock programme, adopted by the appropriations committee on 18 April 2026.
Are there plans?
PRASA has a published Corporate Plan with sequenced corridor targets and a funded signalling rollout programme. PRASA's corridor recovery programme targets restoration of all 40 corridors in sequence. The 2025/26 Corporate Plan sets a passenger trip target of 116 million. The mega-signalling programme covers the replacement of mechanical and electro-mechanical interlocking systems with electronic interlocking across all corridors, in phases.
Is it on the agenda?
Corridor recovery is an explicit SONA commitment, an OV Phase II reform action and a 2026 Budget priority, with dedicated funding allocated.
The 2022 SONA committed to restoring services on at least 10 priority corridors. OV Phase II lists passenger rail restoration as reform action 21. The 2026 Budget allocated R23.1bn over the medium term to upgrade telecommunications and signalling systems, described as a mega-signalling programme to replace obsolete and vandalised assets and increase train frequency.
Goals
The goal is to restore all 40 priority passenger rail corridors and stations to service after widespread vandalism and theft, particularly during the Covid-19 lockdown. These reforms aim to provide an affordable transport alternative for low-income households, ease traffic congestion and lower transport costs that consume up to 37% of income in the lowest quintile, while supporting urban densification and spatial transformation goals under Operation Vulindlela 2.0.
Departments / Govt Institutions
Department of Transport Operation Vulindlela The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) Transnet
Summary
PRASA has restored 35 of its 40 corridors and is recording strong passenger growth, with the latest figures from 2024/25 reporting an increase of 15 million to 77 million trips. In May 2026, the Lenasia (Lenz) section of the Johannesburg–Vereeniging corridor resumed operations, the latest corridor restoration. However, this corridor's services, like many others classified as "restored", are not running to their full extent. Indeed, Prasa’s restored-corridor count refers to corridors where service has been recommissioned, often in phases. It should not be interpreted as confirmation that every route has been fully reinstated end-to-end, at historical frequencies, or with all stations and supporting systems complete. For instance, the Lenz reopening on the Johannesburg-Vereeniging line is just one section of Prasa's longest corridor; the service doesn't extend to Vereeniging. Rerailing tracks and restoring substations, as well as signalling work remains outstanding.
Furthermore, roughly five corridors are yet to be recovered and it is unlikely for this situation to change in the near term. The remaining corridors are largely in KwaZulu-Natal and involve infrastructure owned by Transnet rather than Prasa.
Signalling is a challenging issue for frequency and the remaining five corridors. The R23.1bn signalling budget secured in the 2026 Budget is the critical enabler, but the programme is multi-year and delivery at the required pace is not yet demonstrated.
Is it working?
Ridership has recovered substantially but remains far below pre-disruption levels, and service frequency on most corridors is still constrained by incomplete signalling.
PRASA achieved 77 million passenger journeys in 2024/25. The 2025/26 target is 116 million. PRASA stated in March 2026 that it is on track to reach 100 million journeys by end-2026. Pre-Covid annual ridership exceeded 600 million passenger trips. PRASA's X'Trapolis Mega trains carry up to 2,400 passengers per set, but incomplete signalling limits the frequency at which they can operate on most corridors.
Actions
A total of 35 of 40 corridors have been commissioned, a recent corridor reopened and the signalling budget has been secured, but five corridors remain non-operational and the signalling programme is incomplete.
A further section reopened, but the pattern that surfaces is that "restored" corridors are often only partially recommissioned, which reinforces rather than improves the "partial-implementation" read. The Lenasia (Lenz) section of the Johannesburg–Vereeniging corridor resumed operations in May 2026, the latest addition to the 35-corridor count. Service does not extend to Vereeniging, and rerailing, substation restoration and signalling work remain outstanding on that corridor.
More broadly, PRASA's restored-corridor count reflects phased recommissioning rather than full end-to-end reinstatement at historical frequency, with all stations and supporting systems complete – so the headline 35 of 40 overstates the true state of completion.
Are there plans?
A formal, funded corridor-recovery plan exists and has delivered 35 of 40 corridors, and a separate, named multi-agency plan governs the remaining Central Line relocations. The blocker on the outstanding five corridors, is a combination of land and Transnet asset ownership. On the Cape Town's Central Line (Nyanga–Khayelitsha–Kapteinsklip stretch), roughly 5,195 households occupy the rail reserve and need to be relocated through land acquisition, expropriation and municipal land-use approvals that Prasa does not control. This is not unplanned – a 2022 Implementation Protocol names the Housing Development Agency as implementing agent, with a phased programme (Phase 1: Langa, about 1,254 households; Phase 2: Nyanga, Philippi and Khayelitsha, about 3,950 households) – but no confirmed completion date exists for either phase.
Is it on the agenda?
Corridor recovery is an explicit SONA commitment, an OV Phase II reform action and a 2026 Budget priority, with dedicated funding allocated.
The 2022 SONA committed to restoring services on at least 10 priority corridors. OV Phase II lists passenger rail restoration as reform action 21. The 2026 Budget allocated R23.1bn over the medium term to upgrade telecommunications and signalling systems, described as a mega-signalling programme to replace obsolete and vandalised assets and increase train frequency.
Goals
The goal is to restore all 40 priority passenger rail corridors and stations to service after widespread vandalism and theft, particularly during the Covid-19 lockdown. These reforms aim to provide an affordable transport alternative for low-income households, ease traffic congestion and lower transport costs that consume up to 37% of income in the lowest quintile, while supporting urban densification and spatial transformation goals under Operation Vulindlela 2.0.
Departments / Govt Institutions
Department of Transport Operation Vulindlela The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) Transnet
Summary
PRASA has restored 35 of its 40 corridors and is recording strong passenger growth, with the latest figures from 2024/25 reporting an increase of 15 million to 77 million trips. In May 2026, the Lenasia (Lenz) section of the Johannesburg–Vereeniging corridor resumed operations, the latest corridor restoration. However, this corridor's services, like many others classified as "restored", are not running to their full extent. Indeed, Prasa’s restored-corridor count refers to corridors where service has been recommissioned, often in phases. It should not be interpreted as confirmation that every route has been fully reinstated end-to-end, at historical frequencies, or with all stations and supporting systems complete. For instance, the Lenz reopening on the Johannesburg-Vereeniging line is just one section of Prasa's longest corridor; the service doesn't extend to Vereeniging. Rerailing tracks and restoring substations, as well as signalling work remains outstanding.
Furthermore, roughly five corridors are yet to be recovered and it is unlikely for this situation to change in the near term. The remaining corridors are largely in KwaZulu-Natal and involve infrastructure owned by Transnet rather than Prasa.
Signalling is a challenging issue for frequency and the remaining five corridors. The R23.1bn signalling budget secured in the 2026 Budget is the critical enabler, but the programme is multi-year and delivery at the required pace is not yet demonstrated.
Is it working?
Ridership has recovered substantially but remains far below pre-disruption levels, and service frequency on most corridors is still constrained by incomplete signalling.
PRASA achieved 77 million passenger journeys in 2024/25. The 2025/26 target is 116 million. PRASA stated in March 2026 that it is on track to reach 100 million journeys by end-2026. Pre-Covid annual ridership exceeded 600 million passenger trips. PRASA's X'Trapolis Mega trains carry up to 2,400 passengers per set, but incomplete signalling limits the frequency at which they can operate on most corridors.
Actions
A total of 35 of 40 corridors have been commissioned, a recent corridor reopened and the signalling budget has been secured, but five corridors remain non-operational and the signalling programme is incomplete.
A further section reopened, but the pattern that surfaces is that "restored" corridors are often only partially recommissioned, which reinforces rather than improves the "partial-implementation" read. The Lenasia (Lenz) section of the Johannesburg–Vereeniging corridor resumed operations in May 2026, the latest addition to the 35-corridor count. Service does not extend to Vereeniging, and rerailing, substation restoration and signalling work remain outstanding on that corridor.
More broadly, PRASA's restored-corridor count reflects phased recommissioning rather than full end-to-end reinstatement at historical frequency, with all stations and supporting systems complete – so the headline 35 of 40 overstates the true state of completion.
Are there plans?
A formal, funded corridor-recovery plan exists and has delivered 35 of 40 corridors, and a separate, named multi-agency plan governs the remaining Central Line relocations. The blocker on the outstanding five corridors, is a combination of land and Transnet asset ownership. On the Cape Town's Central Line (Nyanga–Khayelitsha–Kapteinsklip stretch), roughly 5,195 households occupy the rail reserve and need to be relocated through land acquisition, expropriation and municipal land-use approvals that Prasa does not control. This is not unplanned – a 2022 Implementation Protocol names the Housing Development Agency as implementing agent, with a phased programme (Phase 1: Langa, about 1,254 households; Phase 2: Nyanga, Philippi and Khayelitsha, about 3,950 households) – but no confirmed completion date exists for either phase.
Is it on the agenda?
Corridor recovery is an explicit SONA commitment, an OV Phase II reform action and a 2026 Budget priority, with dedicated funding allocated.
The 2022 SONA committed to restoring services on at least 10 priority corridors. OV Phase II lists passenger rail restoration as reform action 21. The 2026 Budget allocated R23.1bn over the medium term to upgrade telecommunications and signalling systems, described as a mega-signalling programme to replace obsolete and vandalised assets and increase train frequency.
Goals
The goal is to restore all 40 priority passenger rail corridors and stations to service after widespread vandalism and theft, particularly during the Covid-19 lockdown. These reforms aim to provide an affordable transport alternative for low-income households, ease traffic congestion and lower transport costs that consume up to 37% of income in the lowest quintile, while supporting urban densification and spatial transformation goals under Operation Vulindlela 2.0.
Departments / Govt Institutions
Department of Transport Operation Vulindlela The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) Transnet