Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, has officially reopened 10 refurbished train stations across the Eastern Cape, marking a major milestone in government’s efforts to rebuild passenger rail infrastructure vandalised during the COVID-19 hard lockdown.
Seven of the stations are situated along the KuGompo corridor, while three are located in Gqeberha.
The Minister conducted an oversight visit to the East London Rail Corridor in KuGompo City on Tuesday where she revealed that the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has invested R115 million over the past two financial years to upgrade the facilities.
“Passenger rail connects communities to opportunity. It narrows the distance between where people live and where they earn a living. Here in KuGompo, the service runs from Berlin to East London station.
“Trains collect commuters from villages and townships and pass through eight stations along the way to East London, where most passengers work. Every station on this line sits within the communities it serves,” Creecy stated.
The upgrades were delivered through PRASA’s National Station Improvement Programme.
“The work has been thorough. Buildings, structures and waiting shelters have been renovated. Water, sanitation, drainage and backup water supply have been restored, together with lighting and backup solar power. Platforms have been refurbished, with tactile surfaces and markings for blind and partially sighted passengers.
“Stations now have access control, CCTV, alarms and security monitoring, along with new signage, fire-fighting equipment, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning,” the Minister highlighted.
Home comforts
Creecy noted that PRASAS’s investment has yielded direct economic benefits for local residents.
The construction phase created some 171 direct jobs, engaged 27 local small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and appointed ten Community Liaison Officers to ensure that residents are informed of the project’s progress.
“This programme was designed so that its benefits would stay close to home.
“For many households in these townships and villages, that work brought a wage, new skills and a record of experience to carry into the next opportunity,” she noted.
Additionally, PRASA entered into three-year agreements with five local cooperatives to manage station cleaning and ongoing maintenance.
“These agreements offer more than short-term work. They provide steady income, a basis on which small enterprises can grow, and a lasting place for local people within the station environment.
“A station kept by its own neighbours is cared for in a different way. The cooperatives are, in a real sense, custodians of these facilities on behalf of the people who use them,” Creecy said.
Tangible improvement
Commuter confidence in the region has rebounded significantly with passenger numbers doubling from just over 630 000 in 2024/25 to more than 1.2 million in 2025/26.
In the current financial year, PRASA recorded an on-time performance of 94.2% in the province, running 603 successful trips and keeping trip cancellations down to 4.13%.
Safety improvements have also allowed the Railway Safety Regulator to approve a speed limit increase on the Berlin to East London line, raising maximum train operating speeds from 30 km/h to 60 km/h.
“Safety remains central to this work. The Eastern Cape region has closed all Railway Safety Regulator improvement directives to date.
“In recognition of this performance, the Regulator has approved an increase in train speed on the KuGompo corridor, between Berlin and East London, from 30 to 60 kilometres an hour. As services improve and stations are upgraded, standards must hold,” the Minister stated.
Creecy appealed to residents to safeguard the newly restored railway assets.
“I appeal to every community along this corridor to treat these stations as their own, to protect this public infrastructure, and to report theft and vandalism promptly. PRASA, for its part, must act decisively and in close cooperation with law enforcement and community structures.
“Our work is not yet finished. Eighteen stations in the Eastern Cape still await upgrades, and PRASA has a responsibility to complete them over the coming years. The longer-term goal is to restore the level of service this region enjoyed before COVID-19. The current trend suggests that this goal is within reach.
“Let us ensure that the convenience, safety and comfort we recognise today are felt every day by every passenger who travels by train in the Eastern Cape,” Creecy concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
