South Africa: Commuters worry PRASA negligence on station conditions

The De Mist train station, Uitenhage, South Africa, is being neglected by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), said commuters, according to a report by Ground Up.

One of the 11 stations to Port Elizabeth, De Mist is reportedly in a miserable condition with waist-high weeds and broken toilets.

The station has been neglected, said one of the commuters, Anathi Mani, quoting, "we understand that there is no place to relieve ourselves anymore due to vandalism, but at least a train station must not be like a farm". She urged PRASA for urgent fixation of the station. "Sometimes we fear that something might pop out of the weeds and trees and bite or chase us all as we wait for a train … This is an eyesore," she added.

Commuting through a 7 am train she stressed the fare that to the services provided by PRASA. "We are paying almost R10 to Port Elizabeth a day from Uitenhage but PRASA's services are poor".

The people working in the station such as caretakers and guards have been embarrassed at the condition as per the report. It mentioned that the workers who asked for anonymity said the stations have turned worse since the pandemic. He quoted, "train stations have been the hardest hit by lockdown over the past ten months because trains were not operating at all. Toilets are stinking as criminals have ripped off toilet seats, taps, basins and sinks, bulbs, ticket machines, doors … at almost all the stations between Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage... The guard house that we normally use has been vandalised as well".

Adding more about the miseries at the station, another worker stated that all stations including Cuyler Manor, Despatch, Perseverance, Red House, Swartkops, New Brighton, Sydenham, North End, Uitenhage, De Mist, and Port Elizabeth had been struck by massive vandalism."New Brighton is worst because the whole shelter under which commuters wait has been stolen. Only Despatch train station has not been vandalised".