Crash puts rail in the spotlight

A high-level investigation is under way to establish the cause of a crash along the notorious Moloto road in Mpumalanga in which 29 people died last week. Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, said the team’s brief was not only to determine the cause of the crash but also to come up with proposed interventions to ensure the prevention of further incidents. According to a spokesman for the Department of Transport (DoT), they have been aware of the challenges along the Moloto corridor. An inter-governmental Steering Committee (National Department of Transport and the provinces of Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo including their respective municipalities) was established a while ago to conduct a feasibility study that should determine longterm interventions for the corridor. Peters said the incident served as yet another reminder for government to fast-track its back-to-rail policy. “The long-term objective is to move goods and passengers from road to rail and look into the possible expansion of the road network in question. This would assist in reducing the number of heavy-duty vehicles such as buses and trucks on busy road networks, particularly those within central business districts and residential areas,” she said. Peters said if anyone was found to be at fault in the latest accident they would face the full might of the law.