Transnet Freight Rail has taken decisive action to stem the scourge of theft, vandalism and sabotage of railway infrastructure and equipment.
Its executive management, security, and technology teams hosted a security workshop in collaboration with customers and the Mineral Council of South Africa (MCSA) last week where they committed to introducing the following interventions:
- Eliminate avoidable train stops during operation, and in cases where the trains need to stop, establish safe zones to enable the trains to stop in secured areas.
- Form collaborative technical teams in each corridor with customers, the South African Police Service (SAPS), other forums/bodies, and law enforcement agencies that are dedicated to fighting crime.
- Improve the security of wagons in transit to limit access to cargo in transit.
- Invest in technology to ensure that incidents such as copper theft are eradicated, particularly on the Natcor and Central Corridors.
- Improve visibility of TFR’s network through new sensing and lighting technology that detects incidents before they happen.
- Establish a security nerve and command centre that is dedicated to safeguarding the rail infrastructure and providing an early-warning system to prevent criminal activities in the rail system.
Attendees shared critical insights on how the theft, vandalism and sabotage had affected their businesses, and proposed how they could partner with TFR to combat this scourge. According to the rail utility there was generally positive feedback from customers concerning the initiatives presented.