Summary:
The South African government has released a major investment plan to improve rail in the country. Part of this plan will involve devolution of urban commuter rail to city governments. This is after years of destruction and deterioration of commuter rail by national government, and by corrupt elements exploiting the state owned company in the transport sector, Transnet.
Relevance:
Devolution of rail to city governments has been one of the two big items on the decentralisation wishlist of SA's liberal party, the DA, along with policing. The DA control South Africa's best run city, Cape Town, and are trying to take (back) control of Johannesburg and Pretoria. According to their models, if rail were devolved to well run city governments like Cape Town, it would spur serious economic growth.
In addition to being an item on the wishlist of South Africa's liberals, it is yet another example of the quiet but steady reforms of Cyril Ramaphosa's government. Eskom, the electricity utility which delivered rolling blackouts, has been broken up and the generation industry is now open to private competition. And now we are seeing significant investments and reforms in rail.
As far as I can tell, Cyril Ramaphosa's Operation Vulindlela reform programme is continuing full steam ahead, even if he only has about a year left before he becomes a lame duck when the ANC chooses a new leader for the party. They are still squeezing in some big ticket items.
Posted by Top_Lime1820