IZITIMELA ZASEMLAZI ZILUNGISELELWA UKUBA ZISHESHE FUTHI ZITHEMBEKE

Izithombe: IMeya yeTheku uKhansela Cyril Xaba nabaphathi bePRASA ngesikhathi behamba ngesitimela besuka eThekwini beya eMlazi. Isithombe sithunyelwe.

ABAGIBELI bezitimela zaseMlaza bangase babone ushintsho olukhulu emsebenzini wezitimela njengoba iPassenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) iqhubeka nokuvuselela ingqalasizinda yezitimela, okuhloswe ngayo ukwenza uhambo luphephe futhi lube nokwethembeka. IMeya yeTheku, uKhansela Cyril Xaba, namalungu eKomidi eliPhethe kanye nabaphathi bePRASA bahambe ngesitimela besuka eDurban Station beya eMlazi ukuze bazihlolele isimo soMzila waseMlazi kanye nenqubekela phambili emsebenzini wokwenza ngcono izinhlelo zokuxhumana nezimpawu ezilawula ukuhamba kwezitimela.Lo mzila ubaluleke kakhulu kubagibeli baseThekwini njengoba uMlaza-Durban ungomunye wemizila ehamba phambili ngokusetshenziswa KwaZulu-Natali. Uhlelo lwezokuthutha lwaseThekwini luwubeka njengomzila osezingeni eliphezulu ngokubaluleka, kanti kulindeleke ukuthi uqhubeke nokuba nomthamo omkhulu wabagibeli.I-PRASA itshala izigidigidi ekubuyiseni nasekwenzeni ngcono ingqalasizinda yezitimela ezweni lonke. Uhlelo lukazwelonke lokulungisa izimpawu zokuhamba kwezitimela lubandakanya iKwaZulu-Natal, iGauteng neWestern Cape, kanti uMnyango wezokuThutha ubike ukuthi izindleko zohlelo lwezimpawu zezitimela zizonke zilinganiselwa ku-R45 billion.Lokhu kuyingxenye yomzamo omkhulu wokubuyisela izitimela emgudwini ngemuva kweminyaka lapho ingqalasizinda yezitimela yonakala kakhulu, okubalwa nomonakalo owadalwa yizikhukhula KwaZulu-Natal.Ngesikhathi sezikhukhula, iPRASA yalahlekelwa noma yonakalelwa cishe amakhilomitha angu-300 engqalasizinda yezitimela esifundazweni, kanti izindleko zokubuyisela ingqalasizinda zalinganiselwa phakathi kuka-R2.8 billion no-R3 billion. Umsebenzi wokulungisa wawuhlanganisa izimpawu zezitimela, imizila, izintambo zikagesi, iziteshi zikagesi kanye nezintambo zokuxhumana.Uhlelo lwamanje lokuthuthukisa izimpawu nezokuxhumana luhlose ukwenza kube lula ukuthi izitimela zihambe ngezikhathi ezihleliwe, kuncishiswe amathuba ezingozi nokuphazamiseka kohambo.Ngokwabaka PRASA mayelana nale phrojekthi, uma umsebenzi usuqediwe izitimela zingakwazi ukuhamba ngezikhawu zemizuzu emithathu kuya kwemihlanu, nokuyinto engavumela ukwanda kwenani labagibeli minyaka yonke lisuka cishe ezigidini ezingu-1.8 liye ezigidini ezingu-10.Ngakolunye uhlangothi, iPRASA itshala elinganiselwa ku-R2 billion ekulungiseni uMzila waseMlaza, okuyiwona othwala inani elikhulu labagibeli bezitimela KwaZulu-Natal.Ukutshalwa kwale mali kuza ngesikhathi uhulumeni kazwelonke ugcizelela ukubuyiselwa kwezitimela njengengxenye ebalulekile yezokuthutha zomphakathi. Isabelomali soMnyango wezokuThutha sibeka iPRASA phakathi kwezikhungo eziqhubeka nohlelo lokubuyisa imizila nokwenza ingqalasizinda yezitimela ibe yesimanje ukuze kubuyiselwe uhlelo lwezitimela oluthembekile nolushibhile kubagibeli.IMeya uXaba ithe intuthuko eyenziwa yiPRASA ibalulekile eThekwini ngoba izitimela zixhumanisa izindawo zokuhlala nezikhungo zemisebenzi, ezemfundo kanye nezinye izinsiza.Ukuvuselelwa kwezitimela kungaphinde kwehlise ingcindezi kwezinye izinhlobo zezithuthi, ikakhulukazi emigwaqweni ematasa yaseThekwini, ngokunikeza abantu enye indlela yokuhamba.ITheku seligxile ekuthuthukiseni uhlelo lwezithuthi zomphakathi njengengxenye yezinhlelo zalo zokwakha idolobha elixhumene kangcono. IMeya uXaba iphinde yathi ingqalasizinda iyisihluthulelo sokwenza idolobha lisebenze kahle futhi lisekele ukukhula komnotho.