Railway Safety Regulator conducts preliminary investigation into Roodepoort train crash
13 February 2020
The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) says it would conduct a preliminary investigation into the train crash in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
One man was killed and several other people injured when a goods and passenger train collided on the tracks near Bonny Doone Road in Horizon View, News24 reported.
"The RSR wishes to convey its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passenger who lost his life when Prasa long-distance train Shosholoza Meyl, that was travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg, collided with a Transnet Freight Rail train between Horizon and Princess stations in Roodepoort, Johannesburg, at approximately 21:25 [on Wednesday night]," it said in a statement.
"Over and above the fatality, one passenger was critically injured and has been admitted to hospital while eight other passengers escaped with minor injuries.
"The regulator wishes all the injured a speedy recovery. The RSR is currently on the scene of the accident to conduct a preliminary investigation and can confirm that the passenger train collided with the rear-end of the goods train.
"Both trains were authorised by the Maraisburg Centralised Traffic Control (CTC). Furthermore, manual authorisation is currently being used as the working method for controlling train movement in this section."
The RSR said it would release a statement on the preliminary findings of the collision within the next 48 hours.
"As the custodian of railway safety in South Africa, the RSR requires that operators notify the regulator telephonically within 15 minutes in the event of a serious occurrence. In line with Section 38 of the National Railway Safety Regulator Act, a team of inspectors is dispatched to the scene to conduct an on-site preliminary investigation."
