Podcasts about Gautrain

HOT TOPIC Topic: Changing tracks: how Gautrain is responding to shifting ridership patterns? Guest: Tshepo Kgobe, the CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency

South Africa's Automobile Association (AA) has raised concerns over the financial viability of the Gautrain rapid rail system. This comes after Gauteng MEC for human settlements and infrastructure development Lebogang Maile revealed that the Gautrain has lost five million passengers in the last four years. AA says despite this decline, authorities are moving forward with a R120 billion expansion plan. The association says it's concerning that such a large investment is being made in a system that serves a small fraction of commuters instead of prioritising more inclusive transport solutions. My colleague Thulasizwe Simelane earlier spoke to the Automobile Association's CEO Bobby Ramagwede

Clement Manyathela and the listeners share their thoughts on Qatar taking a step to mediate for peace between Rwanda and the DRC; and the decline of Gautrain passengersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Illegal borehole drilling in Johannesburg is causing problems. Recently, drilling in Killarney led to water and soil leaking into a tunnel, forcing Gautrain to suspend service between Park Station and Rosebank. Gautrain CEO Tshepo Kgobe said the tunnel is 50 meters underground, and the drillers reached 45 meters before hitting it. He suspects an unregistered company was responsible.

Bongani Bingwa speaks to Tshepo Kgobe, Gautrain Management Agency CEO, Service suspended between Park Station and Rosebank. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This evening we look at the markets with Rand Swiss, the Gautrain Management Agency discusses disruptions caused by illegal borehole mining, Amplats's CEO unpacks its recent financial results. Herbert Smith Freehills joins us to discuss its recent mergers and acquisitions in Africa report, we speak to Recharged.co.za about transitioning to driving an electric vehicle, and to Fynbos Money on making the most of your tax-free savings account. SAfm Market Update - Podcasts and live stream

Tshepo Kgobe – CEO, Gautrain Management Agency SAfm Market Update - Podcasts and live stream

Nosipho Radebe is in conversation with Cacisa Mgudlwa, Property Expert and Town & Regional PlannerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gautrain passengers between Rosebank and Park Station will have to rely on bus services for now, after train operations were suspended due to illegal drilling on a private property above the tunnel. The Gautrain Management Agency has scaled up its bus services to mitigate the disruption. To discuss the situation Elvis Presslin spoke to Tshepo Kgobe, CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency

Thato Junior Producer of Anele & The Club went on the Gautrain bus, and it was full, there was only one seat open. The lady said he can't sit there because her friend is getting on in Fourways. The question here is... are you allowed to reserve a seat for someone in a public place? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Maytham has often turned to Layton Beard for insights during his time as the Spokesperson and Head of Public affairs at The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA). Today, Layton joins John to speak about his resignation after making significant contributions, including fostering transparent communication with the media and stakeholders. He advocated for reviewing the fuel price formula, critiqued the Gautrain expansion, and championed road safety and safer vehicles in AfricaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Automobile Association (AA) has slammed the Gauteng provincial government for wanting to spend R120 billion on extending the Gautrain service. In this interview with BizNews, the AA's Layton Beard points out that billions of Rands of Gauteng taxpayer's money has already been paid to the operating company Bombela since 2012 through the Patronage Guarantee “due to the actual revenue and ridership being significantly below the minimum required total revenue projections”. The expansion plan was announced by Premier Panyaza Lesufi despite the MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile's recent warning that the province is on the brink of potential bankruptcy because of its commitments, among other things, to e-toll debt.

In this episode of Newswrap from BizNews, organised agriculture backs new minister John Steenhuisen; AA's stirs up resistance to Lusufi's R120bn Gautrain expansion; Magnus Heystek likes local property - even in Gauteng; Fedgroup upbeat on SA economic rebound; Nobel prize-winning economist Simon Johnson on the impact of the US election; colonisation and corruption.

Gautrain expansion is financially imprudent: Automobile Association by Radio Islam

Tshepo Kgobe - uitvoerende hoof(),Gautrain Management Agency Volg RSG Geldsake op Twitter

In an effort to showcase Gauteng's integrated urban transport, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and the Gautrain Management Agency (Gautrain) have teamed up to transport fans to this weekend's Springboks and All Blacks test match.“We are showcasing the fact that here in Gauteng, commuters can walk or take a bus or taxi to a PRASA or Gautrain Station, and board a train to get to the Emirates Park Stadium, via Ellis Park Train Station,” Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy said on Sunday. Any match ticketholder making use of the Gautrain to Park Station will be able to board a PRASA train from Park Station to Ellis Park Station for free – and the trip takes just 3 minutes, with a train departing every 15 minutes between 11:00 and 23:00 on match day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi outlines promising economic plans that will “break the backbone of unemployment” like expanding the Gautrain for residents and plans the government of provincial unity has to make Gauteng a world-class province. Lesufi warns that the ANC is a “sinking ship” and speaks on the government of national unity.  He exclusively speaks to Sunday Times political journalist Kgothatso Madisa a day after he delivered his state of the province address. Lesufi says “we can't have everyone coming here [Gauteng]”.

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi outlines promising economic plans that will “break the backbone of unemployment” like expanding the Gautrain for residents and plans the government of provincial unity has to make Gauteng a world-class province. Lesufi warns that the ANC is a “sinking ship” and speaks on the government of national unity.  He exclusively speaks to Sunday Times political journalist Kgothatso Madisa a day after he delivered his state of the province address. Lesufi says “we can't have everyone coming here [Gauteng]”.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says the strike by Gautrain workers will continue indefinitely if no meaningful offer is made. The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)  initiated mediation between Numsa and the Gautrain operator, Bombela Operating Company, to resolve the strike which began on Monday. The mediation will take place on Wednesday.

There has been an escalation in property sales, says Broll Auctions and Sales CEO Norman Raad, adding that ‘if the GNU works out and interest rates come down, there could be a tremendous uptick in investors looking at SA as a good place to invest'. Podcast series on Moneyweb

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, NUMSA is warning commuters to prepare for possible service disruptions at Gautrain due to its planned strike. The union has issued a 48-hour notice to management, citing stalled wage talks that began in April. NUMSA is demanding a 13% increase among other benefits. However Gautrain spokesperson Dr. Kesagee Nayager has assured Gautrain passengers that services will not be disrupted. Elvis Presslin spoke to Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, NUMSA's National Spokesperson

A new smart payment ring has been launched in South Africa – and it's built by South Africans for South Africans. In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod chats to VezoPay founders Jake Pinkus and Lawrence Baker about the launch of the ring – it's available in three variants at launch – and what was behind the idea. In the interview, they not only explain why they decided to build a payment ring, but also why they're entering what could soon become a highly competitive market globally, with both Samsung Electronics and Apple expected to launch their own smart rings later this year. Pinkus and Lawrence unpack: • How long they've been working on the payment ring, and where the idea came from; • How much research and development was involved, and who's backing the innovation; • How the technology works, and what exactly is inside the ring; • The various options available at launch; • How it works without having to be charged; • How the security features work (without giving the game away); • How VezoPay is working with South African banks; • Whether the ring can be used for ticketing (concerts, Gautrain, etc); • How much it costs; • The potential competition from Samsung and Apple; and • VezoPay's plans to expand beyond South Africa's borders. Don't miss the interview! TechCentral

Tshepo Kgobe – CEO, Gautrain Management Agency SAfm Market Update - Podcasts and live stream

    Clement speaks to Tshepo Kgobe, CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency about how the agency is performing. Kgobe also lets listeners in on plans to expand the train's services across the Gauteng province. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Tshepo Kgobe – CEO for Gautrain See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Noluthando Mthonti-Mlambo speaks to the new Gautrain CEO, Tshepo Kgobe who assumed his role earlier today. He takes on the role a time when the Agency has gone to market to invite bids for the next concessionaire to operate the Gautrain system, with the current contract with Bombela Concession Company coming to an end in 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Phakamile Hlubi-Majola | Spokesperson at the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are pretending to be running late and calling different companies to see if they can ‘hold the…' for us! To kick things off, today Frankie is calling the Gautrain station in Sandton to see if they can hold the train for him… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There were about 14,463 Uber trips made in each minute of 2022 across the 900 cities where you can get an Uber. Uber, however, doesn't say how many of those trips were in electric vehicles, but does say that it saved over 18 million litres of petrol from the 25,000 EVs in its global fleet. In 2008 Travis Kalanick pitched the idea of Uber to possible investors as the convenience of a cab in New York City plus the experience of a being driven by a professional chauffer. The idea was to marry these things together into a luxury experience in San Francisco – where it's near impossible to catch a cab. I'm recording this audio in Cape Town, South Africa, though. A million miles away from the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. My last Uber was a Suzuki Espresso and the only Frisco that driver knows is the coffee that comes in the can. That's why I met up with Uber Southern Africa General Manager Kagiso Khaole at the Africa Green Economy Summit ahead of the Cape Town ePrix, to ask him how Uber is going to revolutionise the way South Africans travel, again. Travis Kalanick sold a dream of convenience, not a product that would save the world. Whichever way you slice it, Uber doesn't solve traffic problems or reduce emissions. But it could. Those 25,000 EVs currently in the global Uber fleet will be joined by 25,000 more that will flood the streets of India by 2026 allowing the ride hailing pioneers to easily reach its 50,000 goal by 2030. Again, a convenient solution to a real problem. Uber wants to be a technology platform, though. One that connects riders to an interconnected network of mobility solutions But South Africa is still miles away from striking a manufacturing and EV adoption deal like the Indian one, or scaling the Gautrain to operate in other cities. But EVs are beginning to trickle to our shores, and our production lines are slowly making room for more alternative energy transport options. But that's a story for another day. Thanks addvirtt.com for the constant support. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unencrypted/message

Mia Kruger van Kruger Internasionaal gesels oor die rand se reaksie, MTN en Turkcell en Murray & Roberts wat sy belang in Gautrain verkoop het.

Built environment professionals organisation the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) has released its '2022 Infrastructure Report Card (IRC)', which gives the country's infrastructure an average rating of D, on a scale of A to E, with A being world-class infrastructure and E being failed or failing infrastructure. The D rating means that the infrastructure is not coping with normal demand and is poorly maintained, with risks of any incidents having severe impacts on operations. However, the report authors emphasise that: "[w]ith the notable exception of energy generation, South Africa's economic infrastructure remains in a satisfactory (or better) condition. "However, social infrastructure continues to deteriorate," they state. It is important to note that there is a difference between social and economic infrastructure, said SAICE 2022 IRC convenor and former SAICE president Sam Amod. "If we do not invest enough in social infrastructure, but have good economic infrastructure, the wealthy get wealthier and inequality gets wider. Unless we invest in social infrastructure properly, people will not have the mobility to find jobs and keep jobs, and we will not keep them healthy and educated, as examples," he said during the launch of the document. While the quality of national roads has improved dramatically, rated at B+ or future fit, up from a C rating previously, paved roads in urban areas have deteriorated from a C rating down to a rating of D, and other municipal paved roads have remained at a D- rating. By contrast, airports, ports, oil and gas pipelines and heavy haul freight lines are rated at B or B-, albeit that heavy haul freight and airports deteriorated from A- to B-, and fishing harbours have improved from a C rating to B. In terms of social infrastructure, public schools have remained at a rating of D, while public hospitals have deteriorated from a C rating to a D+ and clinics have dropped from a C- rating to a D rating. Similarly, passenger rail lines have deteriorated from a C- to an E rating, which means the infrastructure is unfit for purpose and either has failed or is on the verge of failing. "Infrastructure is at the centre of what we do socially and economically and has a direct impact on development. We often get asked why we produce this IRC. If we do not measure the quality of infrastructure, we cannot manage it, and if we do not have transparency, we will not have informed citizens able to make good decisions about what they want to do as citizens," said Amod. Similarly, infrastructure delivery and management play an important role in addressing the triple challenges of inequality, unemployment and poverty, he noted. "It is essential for SAICE to produce this IRC on a regular basis to encourage us to look after our infrastructure and to keep citizens informed about the status and trends of their infrastructure, and to highlight areas of excellence," SAICE IRC steering committee member Errol Kerst agreed. At the inception of the IRC in 2006, South Africa's overall infrastructure rating was D+. With investment for the World Cup 2010, the rating improved to C- in the 2011 IRC. However, since this peak, the trend has been downwards, falling to D+ in 2017 and a D in 2022, said SAICE president Professor Marianne Vanderschuren. "We need to be more aware of our infrastructure and the investment and maintenance or lack thereof, as, without infrastructure, the economy and society cannot function," she said. Out of the 32 infrastructure subsectors rated in the 2022 IRC, there was only one A rating (for the Gautrain), eight B ratings and six C ratings. There were also 13 D ratings and four E ratings. "This means more than 50% of the infrastructure is at risk of collapsing or has collapsed. We need to take action as soon as possible. We should have started," she highlighted. South Africa needs engineers, technicians and technologists and needs to encourage young people to remain in the country....

Dr Eduard Voster, besturende direkteur by Zutari drink koffie met Ryk en gesels oor sy loopbaan, asook wat hy na-ure doen om te ontspan.

In this episode: You can now visit a Gautrain station for your driver's licence renewal – how it works Lucky Luna is the new pixel art mobile platformer from Netflix Other news: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 5G hands-on – You look familiar, have I seen you somewhere before? Creating South Africa's metaverse Tech Byte airs daily from Monday to Friday. For the latest tech news, be sure to follow Stuff on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or head on over to our website.

A group of South African dancers gave commuters of the Gautrain a show, surprising everyone when a flash mob started. At first, it seemed like a solo performance, but then the crowd became the mob, and before long, everyone was dancing alongSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: William Dachs | Gautrain Management Agency, Chief Executive Officer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Intelligent Transport Society of South Africa (ITSSA) has disbanded as it has fulfilled its mandate, says CEO Dr Paul Vorster. An ITSSA annual general meeting in July confirmed a decision taken by the society's board in June to close out the project. ITSSA was established in 2001 as a project with the strategic objective to create awareness and encourage the use of intelligent transport system (ITS) solutions. Since then, South Africa has seen the widespread adoption of ITS solutions, to the point where they are now standard elements in all transport planning and operations, explains Vorster. This includes the rollout of Europay, Mastercard and Visa (EMV) ticketing in public transport systems; the Gautrain, bus rapid transit (BRT) systems; several public transport apps; a number of traffic management centres and traffic management systems; weigh-in-motion technology; freeway management systems; drones; big data; ride-hailing; artificial intelligence; on-demand transport services; and electric, connected and autonomous vehicles. In short – ITSSA has achieved its strategic objective of making ITS solutions mainstream, says Vorster. “After 21 years, it is time for ITSSA to hand the baton over to industry. “Down the road, a radically new, even more advanced environment will need new approaches and mechanisms to assist and guide industry and government.” Whilst Vorster is satisfied that ITSSA has achieved its goals, he does lament a number of factors holding back the operations and advancement of transport systems in South Africa. These include the virtual collapse of Eskom, with significant social and economic impact; disintegrating service delivery impacting negatively on traffic management; poor road safety; a worsening road maintenance backlog; the collapse of rail and the failure to implement migration strategies; the stalling of BRT deployment (with MyCiTi a positive exception); widespread corruption; scarcity of tenders; virtually bankrupt government coffers; and a constrained South African logistics system. “If the country can overcome its institutional challenges, smart mobility solutions offer a launching pad to provide better, safer and more efficient transport services to more people,” says Vorster.

The City of Cape Town will, on July 1, start a feasibility study on the devolution of the city's passenger rail system from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to the metro. PRASA currently operates all commuter passenger rail systems in the country, with the exception of the Gautrain. “The contract for the rail devolution feasibility study was recently awarded to an external service provider,” Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis tells Engineering News Online. “The full time allotted for the study is three years, but we are hoping to conclude it sooner.” A large urban rail system is a complex service, notes Hill-Lewis. “We do not currently know the status and value of all the assets in the system, for example, and how much investment is required in terms of repairing and replacing infrastructure. Our first step, therefore, is to conduct a feasibility study to clarify all of these details. “Once the study's preliminary results start coming in, we will have a much better idea about overall timelines for the rail devolution project.” The newly published White Paper on National Rail Policy allows for the devolution of PRASA's passenger rail systems to local councils through a process that includes a feasibility study. Hill-Lewis says the City of Cape Town (CoCT) is “committed to taking over rail in Cape Town because it is in a shambles”. “We don't have a choice but to do what we can to fix it. The problem is that the national government's mismanagement of Metrorail, in the past decade especially, has left us with just 33 operational train sets in Cape Town in 2020, compared to 95 in 1995.” In 2019, Metrorail was operating 444 weekday trips, which fell to 270 in 2020 before the pandemic. “Now, in 2022, there are around 150 weekday trips on average,” says Hill-Lewis. “The Central Line is no longer running, and some other lines are operating on limited service. Even before 2019, when the rail service was already known to be unsafe and unreliable, up to 500 000 commuters used Metrorail trains in the Western Cape every day. “Once we restore the system and improve it to the extent that it will become a viable alternative to road-based travel – getting people out of cars and into trains – we may see 600 000 to 700 000 people using rail every day in the metro alone.” Hill-Lewis emphasises that safe, reliable and affordable public transport is a fundamental requirement for the success of any major city. “It is impossible to get people to work and perform other basic human functions without adequate mobility. “Accordingly, the city's economy is highly dependent on a well-functioning public transport system. The question then, is, what kind of public transport system should we have?” Hill-Lewis says that Cape Town is “by far” the most congested city in the country, with no room to expand most of its main roads. “It is impossible for roads to remain our primary means of mobility as Cape Town continues to grow. “The only mass mover of people that has proven itself to be safe, reliable and effective in cities where this is the case is rail. “We have an extensive and established commuter rail network that has existed for over 150 years. If we want to ensure Cape Town's success, we need to reverse rail's decline and get the system functioning even better than it was before.” But What Will It Cost? The devolution of the commuter rail function from the national government would have to be accompanied by the handover of the budget for that function from the national fiscus, explains Hill-Lewis. “It would be impossible for the city to administer urban rail within its current budget. “This is an example of a question that will be answered in much more detail by the feasibility study as the specifics are unclear at this stage. “It is, however, quite clear that our future model for rail administration will depend heavily on private sector partnerships (as concessionaires or otherwise) and investment.” First Priority Once CoCT takes over ...

Guest: Jacob Mamabolo, Gauteng MEC for Roads & Transport See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Rail Policy White Paper has a deliberate bias towards local manufacturing to ensure industrialisation and the local production of steel, railway lines, rolling stock and supplies, and the State and private sector operators should procure all supplies from South African manufacturers, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said this week. "The obsolete state of much of our rail infrastructure and rolling stock, and the limitation imposed by narrow gauge tracks, as well as the underuse of the existing rail network, are some of the most notable challenges facing the sector," he stated. The National Rail Policy provides an important opportunity to build and strengthen local manufacturing capacity in South Africa. The localisation strategy will be used to develop the industrial base for an active export strategy, particularly for exports to other African countries, and will also support the Steel Master Plan, the policy document states. Local manufacturing can include steel of the right qualities and quantities, rail lines and supplies, including railway sleepers, rail joints, fastening systems and switches and control systems hardware and software, as well as rolling stock, including locomotives and engines, wagons and passenger coaches. The State will take active steps to help develop the technology, skills and manufacturing capacity locally to ensure production of rail-related products increases gross domestic product, jobs and economic inclusivity, the White Paper states. However, rail uses many systems and technologies that set it apart from other transport modes and industries. Therefore, skills development must rest to a large extent on sector initiatives. The rail sector employs only 7% of the country's transport industry workforce and, while the resumption of investments, such as in the Gautrain, Transnet locomotives and Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa commuter trains, has re-established skills development channels, there remains a long way to go in terms of skills development, the policy paper states. BRANCH LINE RECOVERY Meanwhile, the short-term interventions from now until 2024 will focus on developing the National Rail Bill and the sector master plan, although the Department of Transport will not wait for the finalisation of the master plan before implementing structural reforms in consultation with stakeholders, Mbalula said. Additionally, short-term interventions will aim for the recovery of rail corridors by providing branch line concessions and third-party access. In recognition of the important role private sector participation can play in bridging the investment gap, and improving operational and managerial capabilities, the department has established an implementation protocol to drive development and implementation of the plan, which has identified strategic branch lines to recover over the short- to medium term, Mbalula said. "Agriculture and agricultural exports are a key industry and require that attention is focused on revitalising branch lines to support sustainability and growth in the industry. Agricultural exports over the past decade have achieved continuous annual growth in volumes and [export] revenue for South Africa and is a significant growth industry," he noted. Rail's competitiveness will be maximised by investing in infrastructure, restoring capacity and investing in modern technology on the national rail network, as well as rehabilitating metropolitan commuter networks. Investment in infrastructure will, over time, redress and rebalance the significant differences between rail and road asset value and market shares, the White Paper states. Additionally, the National Rail Policy aims to position the rail sector to start making important contributions to national climate change commitments to 2050, as rail has the lowest energy consumption of all modes of transport for specific tasks, such as heavy haul and heavy intermodal. Rail is well-positioned to substantially reduce the o...

Layton Beard – woordvoerder, Automobile Association

We will be joined by William Dachs,  Gautrain Management Agency, Chief Executive Officer with regards to the Gautrain's Train expansion and How are they going to make sure they accommodate low income earns in these new routes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Barbara Jensen-Vorster – Senior Uitvoerende Bestuurder, Kommunikasie en Bemarking, Gautrain

Gauteng Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo has made public the preferred route for Phase 1 of the proposed expansion of the 80-km Gautrain system, in what is called the Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN) project. This route has been published in the Gauteng Provincial Gazette. This follows a consultative process which allowed affected parties the opportunity to make submissions regarding possible route options. Determining the route alignment is the first step in defining a rail reserve for the future railway line. It establishes a corridor of 200 m on either side of the centreline of the determined route, with this corridor to become part of all local authority spatial planning processes. This means that Mamabolo must be allowed to comment on all applications that are received by the City of Johannesburg for any land-use changes that fall within the determined route. The next step in the process will be to undertake a preliminary design for Phase 1 of the proposed GRRIN extension. This will include an environmental-impact assessment, as well as further consultation with all interested and affected parties. “It is important to note that the route determination is an important milestone in the province's rail planning process, and that we are still in the early stages of the process of defining the future rail reserve, [a process which] will be undertaken in consultation with all interested and affected parties and stakeholders,” says Mamabolo. In 2014, the Gauteng provincial government commissioned the Gautrain Management Agency to develop a strategy to improve mobility in the Gauteng. This strategy included a feasibility study to investigate possible extensions to the existing Gautrain rapid rail network in the province. The published route for Phase 1 of GRRIN begins at the proposed location of a new station at Little Falls, which is located to the east of Hendrik Potgieter road, in Willowbrook. From the proposed Little Falls station, the route runs in a north-easterly direction towards Zandspruit, where the line passes to the west of Jackal Creek Golf Estate. The route then changes in a south-easterly direction towards Cosmo City and the proposed new Cosmo City station. From the Cosmo City station, the route continues in a south-easterly direction towards the proposed new Randburg station, passing through North Riding, Olivedale, Bryanston and Ferndale. The route then continues in a south-easterly direction through Randburg, Bordeaux, and Hurlingham. Once it reaches Sandhurst, the line changes direction towards the existing Gautrain Sandton station, which will be upgraded substantially under the plans for GRRIN Phase 1. From Sandton, the route runs in a north-easterly direction through Sandton, Sandown, Marlboro, and Alexandra, towards the existing Gautrain Marlboro station, which will also be upgraded to accommodate the new alignment.

Today's Daily Friend Show with Hermann Pretorius, Nicholas Lorimer and Chris Hattingh. The team discusses the Transport department's plan to build a new Gautrain like system by 2050. They also chat about comments made by Trevor Manuel about how he is no longer an ANC member and the Australian election. Subscribe on Google Podcasts · Subscribe on Apple Podcasts · Subscribe on Spotify

27 Gautrain workers have been suspended for reportedly refusing to vaccinate against Covid-19, according to the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, NUMSA. Gautrain implemented a mandatory vaccination policy which came into effect from the 28th of February this year. Numsa has since taken Gautrain to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration, CCMA for suspending workers that refused to vaccinate. For more on this, here is Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, NUMSA National Spokesperson

The City of Tshwane has reportedly collected up to R500 million in revenue since the beginning of this week as part of its aggressive disconnection of services of those whose accounts are in arrears. Tshwane says it will continue its aggressive campaign until it makes a significant dent on the R17 billion debt owed by customers. Some defaulters include Capital Hotel, Gautrain, Gauteng Government, Lodge Ronda amongst others.

Many passengers on the Gautrain were stuck underground yesterday and had to be escorted through a safety measure. The passengers were stuck on the train for two hours, and we are sure that that must've been scary, so Vic Naidoo spoke to one of the passengers today.

Many passengers on the Gautrain were stuck underground yesterday and had to be escorted through a safety measure. The passengers were stuck on the train for two hours, and we are sure that that must've been scary, so Vic Naidoo spoke to one of the passengers today.

The Automobile Association (AA) has called on the Gauteng Provincial Government to reject proposed route extensions to the Gautrain rapid rail network  For more on this, Tumisang Ndlovu speaks to AA spokesperson Layton Beard. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the 50th episode, Reluctant Riders! Bringing it full circle, TT revisits the topic of her very first episode: the Gautrain service. She checks what's new with the Gautrain and goes back into her disdain for the transportation service.Listen to the very first episode and a few others of this podcast, when it was under a different name, at https://soundcloud.com/just-the-southernmost-tip.Follow Get Me Off This Ride on Instagram, @getmeoffthisridepodcast, and Twitter, @GetMeTFasap. If you want to send an email, you can do so to ttmakatu@gmail.com.

Paul is joined by Bertie, Corporate Steve and our Financial / Technical/ Football director Mikey Dall On Good Friday we attempt to answer the question. If Eddie Howe is appointment is it going to be any good?

Elma Akob is the voice of the Gautrain, DSTV Box Office, Netflix, Huawei, and more, as well as a former chairperson of the Youth UN and head of the Golden Key International Honours Society at UP. Elma and I discuss topics including Xenophobia, Gender-Based Violence, Voice and Presenting Work, Entrepreneurship, and more.

The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) is busy with a feasibility study to investigate the possible future use of alternative drivetrains in its bus fleet, says GMA COO Tshepo Kgobe. As part of this programme, the GMA expects to complete a pilot project, employing an electric bus, at the end of 2021. “As part of the feasibility studies, we have also studied the capability and capacity of the local market to manufacture electric buses and to support the operations of these buses over the lifecycle of the vehicle,” says Kgobe. The estimated range of the buses the GMA are looking at is roughly 270 km, as Gautrain buses currently run around 200 km a day on average, he notes. “There is a big push to go electric to reduce breakages and save on costs.” The GMA’s sustainable urban mobility programme has identified electric buses as one of the low hanging fruits given the capacity and readiness of the Gautrain’s infrastructure to accommodate these vehicles, explains Kgobe. “As part of this mobility programme, the alternative power and drivetrain project is looking at evolving from the current diesel powered buses to fully electrical – including the current midibuses being rolled out at selected stations – then looking at a hybrid power model, with the ultimate intent of ending up with hydrogen fuel-cells-powered mobility options.” The Gautrain bus fleet will be completely renewed in the next few months. This fleet will not include electric, or other alternative drivetrain, buses, but an additional bus fleet may do so, adds Kgobe. Also, the new bus fleet will be manufactured on an integrated platform that will allow for possible changes in power and drivetrain in order to enable future evolution, he notes. “This is part of the additional asset plan for the Gautrain, thus the Gauteng province would be acquiring these buses with the intent for them to be incorporated into the operations of the Gautrain. “It is important that the province has control of the data that will be acquired from the pilot project, and not the current Gautrain concessionaire, so that lessons learned from the project can enable the rollout of any extensions of the Gautrain system and any new concession.”

Gauteng Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo on October 27 launched the province’s Smart Mobility 2030 Plan, which is a roadmap aimed at addressing the province’s transport challenges. He pointed out that the two biggest challenges in the province are congestion and inefficiency in moving goods. The Smart Mobility 2030 Plan focuses on the current transport scene and consolidates different plans into an integrated plan that will be used to improve transport systems in Gauteng. The plan is anchored around three key strategic areas − infrastructure, operations and institutions. It involves creating connected and integrated transport systems. In addition, earlier in October, the department launched the October Transport Month campaign with a special focus on smart mobility as a key driver for economic growth. “Gauteng is part of the world movement embracing smart mobility. As a province, we consider ourselves a smart city region and that is why we are embracing the global movement of smart mobility,” said Mamabolo. Moving Gauteng into the future requires the transport system to be aligned with new concepts and designs, as well as incorporating new technology, he noted. In this regard, Mamabolo said that, historically, Gauteng, and Johannesburg in particular, were developed on the basis of gold mining and that this sector was becoming increasingly less prevalent and less of a contributor to South Africa’s gross domestic product. As such, he said, infrastructure such as that of transport had to evolve with the changing dynamic of Gauteng’s economy. “Transport is the service that must be able to play a role in Gauteng’s economy. We need both an economy that is sustainable as well as one that creates jobs,” said Mamabolo. In developing the province's new smart mobility plan, he said the department started working with a team that had established what he called the Smart Transport Infrastructure Hub – which analysed all of Gauteng’s transport projects. The team determined that the province would have to spend R23-billion on roads and public transport infrastructure in the next ten years to ensure it is upgraded to meet modern requirements. In terms of freight, Mamabolo stated that 60% of all South Africa’s freight ends up in Gauteng. However, he added that because South Africa is the southern-most tip of Africa, the country is far from major international markets. This means that South African goods, in terms of price, will be at a disadvantage in competition with other manufacturers. As such, he said the smart mobility plan aimed to address logistics inefficiencies in the province, which Mamabolo stated could include getting a higher number of cars off the road, with road users opting for public transport instead. As such, he pointed to offerings like Gautrain being expanded into other areas to facilitate the transportation of people.

In today's business headlines: * The Department of Public Enterprises could ring-fence billions of rand of irregular expenditure by Transnet to ensure clean audit findings for the state-owned ports and rail operator. Transnet has reported R10 billion of irregular expenditure in the last fiscal year. * Power utility Eskom has started a billion-dollar round of investments in the Koeberg nuclear power plant near Cape Town before getting permission from safety regulators that the reactor’s lifetime can be extended. It wants to extend Koeberg’s life span for another two decades. * All eyes are on Finance Minister Tito Mboweni this week who will present his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on Wednesday. Lobby group Business Leadership South Africa has listed key reforms it views as necessary to fast-track growth which includes trimming the public-sector wage bill, efficient revenue collection, the weaning SOEs off subsidies and bailouts and increased use of private-sector expertise. * At least five members of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) board have stood down from their positions after the council of CSA requested their resignations last week. The list includes acting president Beresford Williams.

In today's business headlines: * The Department of Public Enterprises could ring-fence billions of rand of irregular expenditure by Transnet to ensure clean audit findings for the state-owned ports and rail operator. Transnet has reported R10 billion of irregular expenditure in the last fiscal year. * Power utility Eskom has started a billion-dollar round of investments in the Koeberg nuclear power plant near Cape Town before getting permission from safety regulators that the reactor’s lifetime can be extended. It wants to extend Koeberg’s life span for another two decades. * All eyes are on Finance Minister Tito Mboweni this week who will present his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on Wednesday. Lobby group Business Leadership South Africa has listed key reforms it views as necessary to fast-track growth which includes trimming the public-sector wage bill, efficient revenue collection, the weaning SOEs off subsidies and bailouts and increased use of private-sector expertise. * At least five members of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) board have stood down from their positions after the council of CSA requested their resignations last week. The list includes acting president Beresford Williams.

The Gautrain is embroiled in a wage dispute. Workers affiliated with the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa, have embarked on an indefinite strike, after the parties failed to find common ground on wage increases. Business Day TV spoke to Gautrain spokesperson Kasagee Nayager for more detail.

Even if the next phase of the Gautrain rail system were to get the green light from National Treasury today, it would take three to four years before construction could start on the project, says Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) CEO William Dachs. “This is a very ambitious, long-term plan,” he notes. “This is why we need to move on this, because we have such long lead times. This is a massive build programme that will take 20 and 30 years.” The five-phase plan to add 150 km to the current 80-km Gautrain rail network will see the system extend to Soweto, Randburg, Roodepoort, Irene, Pretoria-east, Mamelodi, Boksburg, Benoni and Lanseria. The first phase is the extension to Randburg and Little Falls. “We don’t want to duplicate the existing rail network, but compliment and extend it,” says Dachs. He adds that it is important for global city regions to remain competitive. “There has never been a city with a poor public transport network that has been a competitive city. “I’m afraid, and everyone in the province is afraid, that if we do not extend the rail system in our province we are going to lose our competitive edge, and that would be fatal. This is a critical discussion we are having right now.” The plans for the extension of the Gautrain system were submitted to National Treasury for approval in 2017 already. “This is not Treasury’s fault,” says Dachs. “This is a huge and complex project.” He says National Treasury has been engaging with the GMA on a number of issues, the most recent being on how to make the Gautrain accessible to more people, without compromising on its financial sustainability, as well as on how to find funding for the extension programme. “This can’t be 100% government funded. There has to be some private sector investment in here,” says Dachs. “We have answered Treasury’s questions. As we are speaking we are finishing the final study. It has been a good, robust engagement.” Dachs says funding mechanisms discussed with National Treasury include fuel taxes, vehicle licence fees, fuel levies, congestion charging, as well as developer charges, as property developers have seen a significant increase in the value of properties located around Gautrain stations. Car users are not currently paying their fair share in terms of taxes, and the failure of the e-toll system has perpetuated that problem, he adds. Dachs says there is a strong willingness from the private sector to invest in new stations, which would then also be retail and commercial nodes, and not just the standalone, single-purpose stations as is the case in the current Gautrain system. “We are looking at a blend of national, provincial and private funding, as well as from people who will use the train.”

The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) is engaging with Treasury on ways to fund its multibillion-rand expansion plans. One suggestion is to tax motorists as a way to not only provide a funding source for the Gautrain but to also move people away from carbon-intensive modes of transport. Business Day TV spoke to GMA CEO William Dachs for more detail.

William Dachs – uitvoerende hoof, Gautrain

An analysis of public infrastructure delivery in South Africa, prepared for consideration by the National Planning Commission (NPC), identifies the quality of procurement and client-delivery management as the main differentiators between those projects that have succeeded in recent years and those that have failed. Prepared by engineers Dr Ron Watermeyer and Dr Sean Phillips the analysis shows that, when a public-sector client adopts a strategic, rather than an administrative, stance to the design, procurement and implementation of infrastructure projects, value for money is typically secured. By contrast, when no distinction is made between the procurement of infrastructure and the acquisition of general goods and services and when that procurement is led by finance departments rather than at an enterprise level, led by the CEO, projects tend to run over budget and behind schedule. In their paper, the authors juxtapose several megaprojects, such as Eskom’s Medupi and Kusile, which have fallen short of original cost and schedule estimates, against two project-delivery success stories: the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) and Strategic Integrated Project 14 (SIP 14), which involved the building of two new universities. Under the REIPPPP, government’s Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office oversaw the procurement, through seven bidding rounds, of 6 422 MW of renewables capacity, built by 112 IPPs at a cost of R209.7-billion. Under SIP 14, the Department of Higher Education and Training employed the University of the Witwatersrand as its implementation agent for the construction of new campuses in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga and Kimberley, in the Norther Cape. Facilities for the first intake of students were delivered within 28 months of a political decision being taken in 2011. The costs deviation was also modest, despite the project proceeding before many of the contracts had been priced. Phillips and Watermeyer tell Engineering News that, in the case of the REIPPPP, the quality of the procurement process run by the IPP Office resulted in the development of trust in the procurement process by developers and financiers. This, in turn, contributed to a marked reduction in the cost of renewable energy through successive bid rounds. Key strengths of the new universities project, meanwhile, arose from client governance and organisational ownership practices, which provided effective direction and oversight of the organisation’s infrastructure delivery programme. In both instances, there was also CEO-level client leadership, which helped ensure that a strategic and tactical approach was adopted throughout. “Value for money is realised when the value proposition that was set for the project at the time that a decision was taken to invest in a project is as far as possible realised,” the authors explain. For those megaprojects that ran well over budget and behind schedule the gap between what was intended and what was achieved is material: The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Programme cost R17.4-billion rather than the R11.4-billion initially estimated; The Gautrain budget increase from an original estimate of R6.8-billion to R25.2-billion; The capital cost of Transnet’s New Multi-Product Pipeline grew from an estimate of R12.7-billion to R30.4-billion; While Eskom’s Medupi and Kusile projects surged from initial estimates of R70-billion and R80-billion respectively to R208-billion-plus for Medupi and about R240-billion for Kusile. Most of these projects have also seriously lagged their original delivery schedules. In their paper, the authors highlight a direct linkage between the role played by the client, or the organisation initiating the project and playing the role of the client, and infrastructure project outcomes regardless of size, complexity and location. “The root cause of project failure or poor project outcomes can most often be attributed to a lack of...

An analysis of public infrastructure delivery in South Africa, prepared for consideration by the National Planning Commission (NPC), identifies the quality of procurement and client-delivery management as the main differentiators between those projects that have succeeded in recent years and those that have failed. Prepared by engineers Dr Ron Watermeyer and Dr Sean Phillips the analysis shows that, when a public-sector client adopts a strategic, rather than an administrative, stance to the design, procurement and implementation of infrastructure projects, value for money is typically secured. By contrast, when no distinction is made between the procurement of infrastructure and the acquisition of general goods and services and when that procurement is led by finance departments rather than at an enterprise level, led by the CEO, projects tend to run over budget and behind schedule. In their paper, the authors juxtapose several megaprojects, such as Eskom’s Medupi and Kusile, which have fallen short of original cost and schedule estimates, against two project-delivery success stories: the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) and Strategic Integrated Project 14 (SIP 14), which involved the building of two new universities. Under the REIPPPP, government’s Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office oversaw the procurement, through seven bidding rounds, of 6 422 MW of renewables capacity, built by 112 IPPs at a cost of R209.7-billion. Under SIP 14, the Department of Higher Education and Training employed the University of the Witwatersrand as its implementation agent for the construction of new campuses in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga and Kimberley, in the Norther Cape. Facilities for the first intake of students were delivered within 28 months of a political decision being taken in 2011. The costs deviation was also modest, despite the project proceeding before many of the contracts had been priced. Phillips and Watermeyer tell Engineering News that, in the case of the REIPPPP, the quality of the procurement process run by the IPP Office resulted in the development of trust in the procurement process by developers and financiers. This, in turn, contributed to a marked reduction in the cost of renewable energy through successive bid rounds. Key strengths of the new universities project, meanwhile, arose from client governance and organisational ownership practices, which provided effective direction and oversight of the organisation’s infrastructure delivery programme. In both instances, there was also CEO-level client leadership, which helped ensure that a strategic and tactical approach was adopted throughout. “Value for money is realised when the value proposition that was set for the project at the time that a decision was taken to invest in a project is as far as possible realised,” the authors explain. For those megaprojects that ran well over budget and behind schedule the gap between what was intended and what was achieved is material: The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Programme cost R17.4-billion rather than the R11.4-billion initially estimated; The Gautrain budget increase from an original estimate of R6.8-billion to R25.2-billion; The capital cost of Transnet’s New Multi-Product Pipeline grew from an estimate of R12.7-billion to R30.4-billion; While Eskom’s Medupi and Kusile projects surged from initial estimates of R70-billion and R80-billion respectively to R208-billion-plus for Medupi and about R240-billion for Kusile. Most of these projects have also seriously lagged their original delivery schedules. In their paper, the authors highlight a direct linkage between the role played by the client, or the organisation initiating the project and playing the role of the client, and infrastructure project outcomes regardless of size, complexity and location. “The root cause of project failure or poor project outcomes can most often be attributed to a lack of...

Weekday Gautrain rail ridership has fallen to about 14% of pre-Covid-19 levels, to 7 478 passenger trips a day, says Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) COO Tshepo Kgobe. Bus ridership is at 16% of pre-Covid-19 levels, at 2 974 passenger trips a day. Midibus services are faring better, however, with ridership at 46% of pre-Covid-19 levels, at 864 passengers a day, notes Kgobe. Does this fall in ridership mean that the Gauteng government will see a significant increase in the annual patronage guarantee (PG) payable by the GMA to the Bombela Concession Company (BCC), as the Gautrain operator? This guarantee increased from R1.34-billion in the 2016/17 financial year, to around R1.5-billion for the 2017/18 financial year, for example, owing to a sudden decline in ridership. This happened for a number of reasons, such as a strike at Gautrain, noted former GMA CEO Jack van der Merwe at the time. Kgobe says the PG has a cap set in the concession agreement with Bombela – in other words there is a limit to the amount the Gauteng province has to pay in any month. “This cap is the point at which Bombela takes the risk of revenue losses. During the lockdown, revenue has decreased substantially, which meant that the PG increased to its cap and Bombela is exposed to the loss of revenue above the cap.” Kgobe says the GMA is not yet able to quantify the current financial year’s PG. “In the first quarter of the financial year the province paid R92-million more than budgeted for the PG and Bombela lost approximately R171-million in revenue.” Kgobe says Bombela and GMA are working together to increase ridership on the system during the Covid-19 pandemic through a number of initiatives. These include actively promoting the service to instil passenger confidence and confirm to passengers that the Gautrain is safe; running the maximum number of eight-car trainsets compared with four-car trainsets to ensure social distancing; and introducing midibus taxi services at various stations, while Gautrain bus routes are also being reviewed to augment the number of feeder and distribution routes around stations. There are also plans in place for loyalty programmes and additional discounts for youth and the elderly in the form of a new student product and travel card for the elderly. Directional signages to all Gautrain stations are also being reviewed, as well as the concept of universal access. “This includes improved safety and security in and around precincts,” says Kgobe. “The Gautrain website and application are being upgraded for ease of customer experience.” The payment of PG is done in accordance with the project’s financial model, which was developed as part of National Treasury’s approval of the Gautrain project as a public-private partnership. This payment is included in the budget allocation of the GMA and forms part of the Gauteng provincial government’s medium-term expenditure framework. The PG is a collective name for five components, namely the repayment of the equity and private sector loans by Bombela, which were used during the development phase of the project; the cost of maintaining the system by the concessionaire; Bombela’s overhead costs, as well as the cost of replacing key components of the system in order to hand over the network in a prescribed contractual condition after the completion of the concession period – for example, the total bus fleet of 125 buses will be replaced during the concession period. The PG also refers to an operation subsidy, which is used to top-up the shortfall between the revenue received from the fare-box and value-add (such as advertising on the system), and the cost of operating the system. For a number of years the revenue received has been between 90% and 105% of the operation costs – that is, until the arrival of Covid-19. ­

South Africa’s public-private partnership (PPP) legislation is undergoing a review, says Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia de Lille. “I can confirm that there is a review at the moment.” De Lille says the requirements around PPPs are “very complex” and “time consuming”. “In the review we are trying to see how we can keep the probity systems, but shorten the process. We are reviewing a complex piece of legislation to see if we can make it more workable and easier to have PPPs.” De Lille says only 2% of infrastructure projects in South Africa are PPPs. “PPPs have not been that successful in South Africa – the Gautrain is the exception.” Sheila Galloway is the founder of the Utho Group, which is a PPP and infrastructure development advisory firm. South Africa’s PPP framework is some of the best in the world, she notes. “It is held out there as being a model example of a PPP framework. It is built to reduce, if not to eliminate corruption. This may be the reason for the decline in PPPs in the country in recent years.” Galloway says the value of PPPs reached R11-billion in South Africa in 2010/11, going down to R4-billion in 2017. “PPPs are so legislated it goes against corruption.” Galloway adds that there has been a reduction in interest and expertise within the PPP space, with the private sector “pulling back” because of a lack of trust in government, especially as it failed to implement PPP projects. De Lille notes that government registered three PPPs with National Treasury last year, including the Salvokop precinct, in Pretoria. “The fourth will be the expansion of the Gautrain. We are currently assessing that project, and hopefully the second phase of gazetting will include the Gautrain.” Meanwhile, the first 50 projects emanating from the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa process and an additional 12 special projects were gazetted in July as Strategic Integrated Projects, in terms of the Infrastructure Development Act. One of the projects is, for example, Phase 2A of the Mokolo Crocodile Water Augmentation Project in Limpopo, which will increase water supply in the Lephalale region. De Lille and Galloway spoke during a CNBC Africa Gautrain webinar.

Moneyweb Radio — William Dachs – CEO, Gautrain Management Agency

Business Day TV — Gautrain's passenger numbers have dropped significantly due to the Covid-19 lockdown. Business Day TV spoke to William Dachs, CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency for more detail.

MultimediaLIVE — With thousands of people commuting daily between Johannesburg and Pretoria amid the coronavirus outbreak, public transport modes such as the Gautrain are high risk places for contracting the infectious disease. Universities and corporates in Gauteng are in the process of disabling their biometric access systems in the wake of the six confirmed coronavirus cases in the province. This has sparked action from mass commuter rail system Gautrain to implement measures to keep their passengers safe.

Our Miss Universe, Zozi Tunzi is heading back to SA this Saturday and the public is encouraged to support her at the airport (you can even ride the Gautrain for free) and Heather shares more about your need to know times and details to support our local lass who is the most beautiful in all the world. Lighthouse Family has announced a third Joburg date due to popular demand, so if you are wanting to see this legendary duo, make sure to get the details. Heather chats one on one with Communications Coordinator for The CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation, Taryn Seegers, about their upcoming #FlipFlopDay campaign and how an R 10 donation is all it takes to help out – AND you can wear your flipflops to work or school on Friday 14th February to show your support. Daring daredevils will want to get themselves to Gold Reef City for a Valentine's date night with a difference this year, while Marvel Universe Live! finishes its run in Pretoria this weekend, so this is your last chance to catch all your comic book heroes in action – and Montecasino is bringing the entertainment this February with a great selection of shows and entertainment for all ages. Two competitions feature this week – if you would love to WIN tickets to Ultra South Africa in either Cape Town or Johannesburg, make sure to listen to the end as Heather has a double set of tickets valued at R 1600 to give away to one lucky listener to get their EDM festival on, and three sets of double tickets valued at R 500 are up for grabs for the Kings & Queens of Comedy Festival in Durban on Valentine's Day (great date night idea) – make sure to enter! heatherhook.com · heatherhook.com · www.heatherhook.com

Niche Radio — Our Miss Universe, Zozi Tunzi is heading back to SA this Saturday and the public is encouraged to support her at the airport (you can even ride the Gautrain for free) and Heather shares more about your need to know times and details to support our local lass who is the most beautiful in all the world. Lighthouse Family has announced a third Joburg date due to popular demand, so if you are wanting to see this legendary duo, make sure to get the details. Heather chats one on one with Communications Coordinator for The CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation, Taryn Seegers, about their upcoming #FlipFlopDay campaign and how an R 10 donation is all it takes to help out – AND you can wear your flipflops to work or school on Friday 14th February to show your support. Daring daredevils will want to get themselves to Gold Reef City for a Valentine’s date night with a difference this year, while Marvel Universe Live! finishes its run in Pretoria this weekend, so this is your last chance to catch all your comic book heroes in action – and Montecasino is bringing the entertainment this February with a great selection of shows and entertainment for all ages. Two competitions feature this week – if you would love to WIN tickets to Ultra South Africa in either Cape Town or Johannesburg, make sure to listen to the end as Heather has a double set of tickets valued at R 1600 to give away to one lucky listener to get their EDM festival on, and three sets of double tickets valued at R 500 are up for grabs for the Kings & Queens of Comedy Festival in Durban on Valentine’s Day (great date night idea) – make sure to enter! heatherhook.com · heatherhook.com

This is episode 122 and we will take a close look at the love-life of a Boer spy – who's tale is laced with an unusual irony that involves a regiment called the Witwatersrand Rifles. The nature of the war had shifted again by January 1902 with the British system of blockhouses and drives beginning to create a major problem for the Boers – pushing the small number of commandos left into areas of the country that could hardly be called strategic. The guerrilla tactic has morphed again from hit and run, to a lot more running and far less hitting. The policy of no-longer forcing women and children into the Concentration Camps had also begun to pose a problem for the Boers in a way. While they were used to tough conditions, drought and poor crops returns in lean years, the increasingly volatile regions on the frontiers meant they were isolated and in danger from other forces. Near Swaziland the kiSwati chiefs had made it clear that they felt the need to launch revenge attacks on the nearby Boer homestead, so too in the North Western Transvaal, in the northern Transvaal, and along the border with Zululand. The basutho had not actively entered the Free State but there were real fears by the Boers that vast tracts of empty farmland would entice their traditional foe who had made it clear their interests lay with the British. In Pretoria, sitting at her desk was Boer Spy Johanna van Warmelo. After the war she was married and was known as Johanna Brandt, but that was later. WE have heard many stories from her as she kept three diaries, a personal, a public, and a secret spying diary. The Historian Jackie Grobler published these in one volume in 2007 – it's a great read because she wrote as a young woman – and her point of view was mixed. She wrote also in English, while despising the English. Its January 1902 and Johanna has applied for a permit to travel between Pretoria and Johannesburg. Small parties of Boers have repeatedly attacked the railwayline between these two cities which are 43 miles or 62 kilometers apart. In 1902 that was a whole day by slow moving train, now the Gautrain travels the route in 35 minutes. There is an unusual connection between van Warmelo and her ex-fiancé Karel de Kock which involves the Rand Rifles. The deserve a special mention because like with many things about the Anglo-Boer war, their importance resonates to this day. After the Boer war, the Rand Rifles were absorbed with members of the Railway Pioneer Regiment into The Witwatersrand Rifles in 1903. This new regiment was to play a major role in South Africa's military history over the next century. It saw action during the the Bambata Rebellion of 1906, when it deployed a contingent to Zululand. In 1907 the regiment was strengthened when it absorbed the Transvaal Light Infantry Regiment and was mobilised again when World War I broke out. The first action that it took part in was the South African invasion of German South-West Africa (now Namibia). After the successful conclusion of this campaign, virtually all members volunteered for overseas service. Most of the volunteers were consequently assigned to the 3rd South African Infantry Battalion. Unfortunately for these men, they ended up in the terrible Battle of Delville Wood during the Somme offensive where 3433 men went in and only 750 came out alive.

In episode 11, we interview Carlo Mariani, the founder of thepropertycoach.co.za. Carlo coaches people, mainly women of color, on how to achieve financial freedom by building property portfolios. In this episode he shares with us his personal journey on how he was able to go from 1 property to 74 property deals by changing his mindset, getting mentors and changing his perception of debt. Carlo shares how he came from a middle class family where he was taught to focus on paying off his mortgage. This strategy served him well, until it no longer did. So in 2007, he changed his entire view of debt and went from 54% geared to over 90% geared and used that debt to buy 10 properties on 1 block, close to the Gautrain. When Carlo lived in London, he learned that property that was within a 10 minute walk of the tube, was always in demand. A lesson that has served him well as a property investor. Carlo is a coach so this episode is literally a property coaching session in a podcast and you want to grab a pen and paper as you listen. You can contact Carlo at: thepropertycoach.co.za Join Carl's Property Hackers Club by clicking on this link: https://thepropertycoach.teachable.com/?affcode=350875_neoz7g0n

Wayne Slabbert, is a businessman, pastor and author of the book called Kingdom Business Devotionals. With more than 20 years experience as a successful businessman, Wayne is also the founder of Kingdom Business School. He teaches and trains on how to start, scale and sustain a successful Kingdom Business. Though a Christian by faith, his first Kingdom Business was started with only R9 ZAR on his bank account and R90 ZAR on his Gau-train ticket. Through a friendship he had and still has with a Muslim friend/brother, talk about God's humor and power that is beyond human and divisions.ResourcesYou can get Pastor Wayne's book:) Kingdom Business Devotionals and for either his ministry or business activities on his company, head over on to his headquarters at https://www.ereobiz.com3 Value Seeds1) You Can Always Quit, Just Don't Quit Now!2) A business contract is nothing if your word is not truthful. 3) God sees us as perfect, but because of our own perception on how we see ourselves, we doubt who God says we are.You can go each to Pastor Wayne for either his ministry or business activities on his company headquarters at https://www.ereobiz.comEnjoy, Your Journey With God!~ Nkosinathi I. MazibukoSupport the show (https://www.journeywgod.com/podcast)

My guest this week is Toby Shapshak the publisher and editor-in-chief of of Stuff magazine in South Africa. He is a journalist in his own right, a commentator on the digital economy and a proper tech geek. Toby and I met many years ago on an ill-fated visit to the launch of the Gautrain back in 2010 and have bumped into each other intermittently since then. We got into quite lengthy discussion about internet privacy and how to survive in this age of surveillance capitalism. Toby had some great tips on how to protect your privacy and data online. He also on lighter note gave us some of his highlights from the recent Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona recently. He chatted about some of his favourite gadgets and the latest developments in 5G technology. Visit Stuff online [here](https://stuff.co.za/). The Toby Shapshak Show is available wherever you get your podcasts.

Kat talks to Professor Tracey McKay about the cost of the Gautrain on taxpayers.

Maui tackles the Gautrain gum policy (story), Drake making up with Meek Mill, Cardi B and Nicki fight. R.I.P MAC MILLER. (xoroyalty.net)

Protesting drivers of hailing taxi services Uber and Taxify say the managers of Uber are refusing to come out and accept their memorandum and instead want only two representatives of the strikers to come into the building in Sandton north of Johannesburg to hand over the document. The drivers gathered at Zoo Lake in Johannesburg this morning to demand better working conditions. They've allegedly been stopping their non-striking colleagues at Zoo Lake, Gautrain stations and at OR Tambo Airport, forcing them to join the protest. The spokesperson for the General Task Team Coordinating the strike, Vhatuka Mbelengwa gave us more details on the strike.

To read the full transcript of this interview, sign up for our premium section at Biznews.com/premium-signup. Premium subscribers also now have full access to The Wall Street Journal.

CliffCentral.com — Gauteng on the Move is a new online transit trip planning app to you plan optimum travel routes in Greater Gauteng. Find out how young startup techs helped in coming up with this disruptive app. Mpumi speaks to Senior Executive at the Gautrain, Tshepo Kgobe and Director at Intellergy Shaun Moodley. Powered by T-Systems South Africa. T-Systems

Moneyweb Radio — Paul-Roux De Kock – analytics director, Lightstone.

The Competition Commission has launched a market inquiry into the public passenger transport sector following numerous complaints relating to public transport in the country. The inquiry will look into road and rail public passenger transport, these include minibus and metered taxis, app based taxi services (i.e. Uber) Metrorail, and the Gautrain. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Head of Communication at the Competition Commission, Sipho Ngwema

Gautrain services between Hatfield and Pretoria has been disrupted this weekend due to an accident that was caused by a cement truck. Spokesperson for Gautrain Kesagee Nayager says the truck overturned hit the fence and ended up on the rail line, which therefore affected the overheard power cables.