S.Africa’s Train system is totally buggered – No trains running in Johannesburg!

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I was having a chat with someone today here in Johannesburg and this man told me that there are no running trains in all of Johannesburg. I told him frankly that I did not believe him.

He admitted that the silly "high speed" train known as Gautrain was running. But that’s not the railway system he was referring to. He said that the normal trains, were not running at all. He claimed he had been to Johannesburg railway station and that it was CLOSED and NO TRAINS WERE RUNNING AT ALL.

Since he’s the only person whose told me this and I’ve not seen anything in the media, I need to dig some more. If anyone in South Africa has more information on this I’d appreciate it. This is quite insane.

But the Black Government has never been interested in the trains anyway so it is possible. They prefer inefficient means of transport like buses and taxis because then people can make more money out of it while destroying the road infrastructure.

The trains were really a "White thing" and a critical part of SA’s infrastructure for decades. It has been run into the ground and I do know that some railway stations like Boksburg in the East of Johannesburg have been totally trashed and torn to bits.

The road infrastructure is being destroyed by masses of trucks. It was not built for such loads.

However, I am still amazed if the claim that Johannesburg has no trains at all is true. Years ago, lots of trains ran to Johannesburg even from Black townships like Soweto.

But if it’s collapsed, that would shock me.

jlamprecht