Train accidents: 32 since 2010

26 August 2015

The Minister of Public Enterprises, Ms. Lynne Brown, has confirmed that there had been 32 train accidents in South Africa since 2010. She responded to a question in Parliament of Dr. Pieter Groenewald, of the Freedom Front Plus.

The majority of the train accidents, i.e. 11, occurred in 2013 and there have been seven accidents this year already. This excludes the recent train accident near Kimberley.

“The minister circumvented the question regarding the number of injured and deaths by referring to employees, while the question had been the number of persons. Many more passengers suffered injuries and had even died in some of these accidents.

“If the reasons for the train accidents are considered, it is clear that it is due to negligence and the poor maintenance of railway lines and train coaches. It varies between broken rails, cracked wheels and ineffective breaks. It also speaks of poor train drivers who had ignored certain signals and signs.

“The reasons for the accidents indicate that it could have been prevented through proper training and maintenance. The minister will have to take action or else there will be further loss of life,” Dr. Pieter Groenewald (MP) chief spokesperson on Public Enterprises for the FF Plus said.

Text of the reply:

QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO.: 2926

DATE OF PUBLICATION: 14 August 2015

Dr P J Groenewald (FF Plus) to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises:

(1) How many train accidents (a) occurred in ((i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012, (iv) 2013, and (v) 2014 and (b) have occurred since 1 January 2015;

(2) (a) how many persons in each of the specified accidents in each specified year were (i) injured and (ii) killed, (b) where did the specified accidents take place and (c) what was the cause of each specified accident in each case;

(3) Whether she will make a statement on the matter? NW3429E

Reply:

(1) (a) (i) 2010 = 3 train accidents

 (ii) 2011 = 2 train accidents 

 (iii) 2012 = 3 train accidents

 (iv) 2013 = 11 train accidents

 (v) 2014 = 6 train accidents

 (b) 7 train accidents.

(2 ) (a) (i) * 2010 = 3 employee injuries 

 * 2011 = no injuries

 * 2012 = no injuries 

 * 2013 = 7 employee injuries 

 * 2014 = no injuries 

since 1 January 2015 = 58 injuries (3 employee injuries and 55 3rd party injuries) 

 (ii) * 2010 = 6 employee fatalities

 * 2011 = 2 employee fatalities

 * 2012 = no fatalities

 * 2013 = 3 employee fatalities

 * 2014 = no fatalities

since 1 January 2015 = two 3rd party fatalities

 (b) See annexure A

 (c) See annexure A

(3) No, the Minister will not make a statement on the matter.

ENDS

Statement issued by Dr. Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus chief spokesperson: Public Enterprises, August 26 2015