Solidarity makes six safety demands to Transnet

With 1 376 injuries in the first half of 2011, safety standards in the South African rail transport industry are declining rapidly, trade union Solidarity said today. This total is only 556 injuries below the total number of injuries in 2008, one of the deadliest years in the history of the rail transport industry, when 434 fatalities and 1 932 injuries were recorded. The trade union therefore made six demands concerning the safety of rail transport in South Africa to Transnet today.

According to Advocate Paul Mardon, head of Solidarity's Occupational Health and Safety Division, human error is a leading cause of train accidents. In addition to this, safety signals and speed limits are frequently disobeyed and train drivers are in many cases inexperienced or incompetent.

"The government encourages South Africans to make use of public transport like trains, but considering the number of injuries recorded during the first half of the year, public transport is clearly not viable and safe in South Africa at the moment," said Mardon.

The following demands were presented to Transnet:

• Train drivers must attend refresher courses and undergo competency tests.
• Shifts must be regulated in a manner that will prevent accidents due to fatigue.
• Safety measures must be reviewed and the seriousness of safety measures underlined by means of strict disciplinary measures.  
• More visible and complete barriers must be put up at railway crossings (for pedestrians and vehicles) and stricter access control must be exercised at railway lines, especially railway lines located in or nearby densely populated areas.
• Retired train drivers must be brought in temporarily to convey their expertise to less experienced train drivers.
• A police force for the railways, similar to the former railway police, must be instituted. 

"Millions of South Africans rely on rail transport and their safety is important. Transnet has admitted that there are problems with respect to the competence and conduct of train drivers. These problems must receive immediate attention," according to Mardon.

"What makes matter worse is that the regulators of railway safety are not always aware of what is happening on the railways. In addition, the railway lines on several train routes are not well maintained because the lines don't carry a lot of traffic," explained Mardon. "Crime also has a negative impact on railway infrastructure, with the theft of sleepers, rails and cables leading to derailments and causing signs to malfunction," he added.

Incidents like the one earlier this month when the Business Express train was pelted with stones by angry commuters who thought the train received preferential treatment during a power outage, could have been prevented if there had been adequate policing, said Mardon.

Solidarity presented the demands to Transnet, but has since not received any feedback.

Statement issued by Paul Mardon, Head: Occupational Health and Safety, Solidarity, June 27 2011

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter