Gautrain project on track amid electricity crisis

Gautrain Management Agency Chief Executive Officer, Jack van der Merwe, says despite the current electricity crisis, the Gautrain project is on track.

"We are working at about 43 sites and there's about 19 sub-stations that we draw power from, so if the power goes down for five hours, it's not like we're affected for five hours - it affects different areas differently, so the impact has not been that severe."

He also said the multi-billion rand rapid rail project has created close to 25 000 jobs in the past year alone. He says an additional 40 000 are expected in the next financial year. Van der Merwe was speaking during a tour of the now 150 metre long tunnel that started at Rosebank station towards Sandton.

He says they remain confident that the Gautrain link between O.R. Tambo and Sandton station will be operational during the 2010 Soccer World Cup.