Johannesburg – The train services to and from Khayelitsha in Cape Town have been restored, Metrorail confirmed on Sunday.
“Metrorail is pleased to confirm that the train service to and from Khayelitsha has been restored and that trains started operating this afternoon,” Metrorail said in a statement.
Metrorail regional manager Richard Walker thanked the community leadership and other role players “for their willingness and co-operation to assist in bringing the service back on track”.
Walker had previously said that rail commuters using the train service between Khayelitsha and Cape Town faced the threat of suspended trains due to the effect of illegal electrical connections between Nolungile and Nyanga.
He said that further discussions between Metrorail, the community and other roleplayers will continue in an effort to reach a more sustainable and permanent solution to the electrification issue.
A section of the Nolungile informal settlement next to the railway line illegally connected wires across Metrorail overhead track equipment, resulting in a power failure on Sunday morning.
"Both lines were initially closed and trains could only shuttle between Nyanga and Chris Hani and trains to and from Cape Town on the Khayelitsha/Chris Hani line had to terminate at Nyanga," he said.
Walker said Metrorail technicians managed to restore power earlier on Sunday which enabled trains to operate in both directions sharing one line.
"These illegal connections present a serious safety hazard and prevent Metrorail from completing repairs that will restore a full service for the week ahead. No further repairs can be done unless illegal connections are removed," he added.