Gautrain could cost more than R20 billion

Paul Mashatile, the Gauteng Finance MEC, says the cost of completing the Gautrain project may exceed the latest projection of R20 billion. Mashatile says the financial projection of the project will be finalised be the end of next month.

Mashatile says they are still wrapping up negotiations with the preferred bidder around overall costs. Construction of the Gautrain will be underway by February next year. Mashatile's statement comes amid concerns over the project's viability by the national parliamentary portfolio committee. Mashatile says no amount of concerns can delay or stop the project, as all the relevant stakeholders of the Gautrain have approved it.

He says the national parliamentary portfolio committee on public transport needs to rethink the reports they made earlier this week about the future of the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link project. Lisa Seftel, the deputy director general of public transport in the province, says they are only expected to submit a detailed report on how they will integrate the Gautrain with other modes of public transport. She says this information would put the committee's reservation about the project to rest.

The aim of Gautrain is to ease the congestion in the province's major roads. Jack van der Merwe, the leader of the project, says the train is targeted at people who travel alone in their vehicles to work. He says they want these people to be attracted to the use of rail as a means of transport rather than the roads. Van der Merwe says the Gautrain will be cheaper than travelling in cars.