The Gautrain service between Rosebank and Park Station in Johannesburg remains suspended after illegal drilling activities were discovered in the area. The underground rail section was shut down on Saturday following a driver’s discovery of soil and water seepage into the tunnel. An investigation revealed that a property owner above the tunnel had drilled a borehole approximately 50 meters deep, which caused the disruption.
In response to the closure, Gautrain management has increased its bus service, with buses running every 15 minutes between the two stations. The bus service operates daily from 5:30 am to 8:30 pm as a contingency measure while repair work is underway. The suspension of the underground rail service has caused significant disruption, but the bus service aims to minimize the inconvenience for passengers.
Tshepo Kgobe, a senior executive at the Gautrain Management Agency, confirmed that legal action would be taken against the property owner for breaching multiple local bylaws and potentially violating the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act. Kgobe emphasized that no digging or drilling activity is allowed without prior approval from the city, underscoring the severity of the violation.
On Sunday, Gauteng’s MEC for Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, visited the site to assess the damage, where repair work had already started. However, no timeline has been provided for when the underground rail section will be fully operational again. Gautrain officials have urged all stakeholders to follow proper procedures when planning land use changes or construction activities near transport infrastructure to prevent similar incidents in the future.
While most of Gautrain’s 90-kilometer high-speed rail network runs above ground, the sections near Johannesburg’s city center are underground, making them particularly vulnerable to any unauthorized drilling or construction activities. The ongoing investigation and repair work are crucial to ensuring the safety and integrity of the transport network.
