Critics shunted aside as cabinet backs Gautrain

the cabinet yesterday approved the controversial r20bn gautrain rapid rail project despite concern over escalating costs and fear that it will turn into a white elephant.

the national assembly’s portfolio committee on transport recently expressed reservations over the project, saying it would come at great cost to the taxpayer.

it was estimated to cost r7bn in may 2001 when it was mooted. since then the costs have almost tripled to r20bn and the project’s critics fear it could rise higher than that.


criticism was also raised that the project was elitist, servicing an area with already superior infrastructure at the expense of previously disadvantaged areas.


it will link johannesburg with pretoria and the johannesburg international airport.


yesterday’s endorsement by the cabinet would enable the project to meet its 54-month deadline for completion — in time for the soccer world cup in 2010.

although not part of the 2010 world cup bid, the project has become central in the run up to the tournament.


addressing the media yesterday, government spokesman joel netshitenzhe said the cabinet had considered the transport portfolio committee’s broader observations on the need for an overall integration of the gautrain with other public transport systems.



government was “firmly committed to keeping to the timeframe to get the programme started” netshitenzhe said.


netshitenzhe said the cabinet’s support for the gautrain project included an integrated ticketing system, mass transit systems and where possible integration of the gautrain with metrorail.


he said while mass transit and integrated systems should form part of the overall objectives of the project, some of them would be achieved later.

the transport ministry was fine-tuning details, including a comprehensive budget that would facilitate an overall integration strategy, to improve metrorail’s ageing infrastructure.


but the chairman of the transport portfolio committee, jeremy cronin, yesterday said he was still sceptical.

he said the cabinet decision was a matter of concern “and may well be the wrong one”.


“while the committee will be keen to give the project a chance, we hope that our scepticism about the likelihood of cost escalating further will be proved wrong,” said cronin. “we may look back with nostalgia on the projected r20bn if international patterns play themselves out there as well.”


cronin said the committee would continuously watch the project to ensure the operational phase was viable.


he said although the government had considered some of the committee’s fears, there remained questions on the attainability of the break-even level of about 60000 passengers a day.

noting that the project was meant to attract “better-heeled motorists from the ben schoeman highway” on to trains, he wondered if its integration into the metrorail system and its use by the working class would not drive away the intended customers.

democratic alliance spokesman for transport stuart farrow said the gautrain project could turn into “a huge white elephant” with everybody in sa having to contribute about r500 a year towards it — and with cost projections constantly rising.