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The rail management company, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), says it is against Hawkers selling goods inside trains. However, rail traders say this is affecting their livelihoods.
On Tuesday, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula announced the resumption of train services between the Mamelodi and Bosman stations in Pretoria. The services were suspended for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic that prompted lockdown regulations.
PRASA’s Acting CEO Hishaam Emeran says the prohibition of hawkers doing business inside the trains is in line with international rail safety measures.
“We do have the informal traders’ policies that we are dealing with as part of the process. And that will be communicated very clearly as we engage with role players. I also had questions around trading on the trains.”
He adds: “There we are guided by the condition of our carriages particularly with the services we are rolling out. At the moment, it’s not allowed on the train. That is informed by issues around safety and the cleanliness and sustaining the trains. You see it on the world-class system around the world, that you do not have it on the train. But outside and around we need to have that activity to happen”.
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