Business

Gautrain 'driving development'

18 March 2009

South Africa's rapid rail project, known as the Gautrain, has created 11 700 direct and 51 500 indirect jobs, Gauteng local government minister Qedani Dorothy Mahlangu said on Tuesday.

The Gautrain project had given Gauteng province an opportunity to empower its citizens and to expand economic activity in the province, Mahlangu told journalists in Johannesburg.

Companies that had benefited from the Gautrain project included 260 black empowerment firms, 90 new black empowerment entities and 230 small businesses.

When it came to training, 10 400 courses had been attended by unskilled or semi-skilled staff and 1 250 courses had been attended by management, Mahlangu said.

Jack van der Merwe, CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency, told the briefing that socio-economic development had been part of the tender requirement which was won by Bombela.

Van der Merwe said the Gautrain project was required to "stimulate economic growth, investment, new development and job creation ... It is designed to restructure urban areas, reduce travel distances, time and cost and improve city sustainability."

Van der Merwe said it was necessary to make public transport "a mode of choice" in the province.

Asked if the Gautrain would be a safe mode of transport, given the recent Metrorail train accidents in Gauteng, Van der Merwe said he could assure passengers of a safe trip.

"Metrorail has old rolling stock and its signalling systems are old," he said. "We started afresh - we have the best technology in the world."

He added that security personnel and over 400 close circuit television monitors would ensure the safety of passengers.

Sapa