‘A R52bn Asset’: Gautrain Set for Major Expansion to Soweto, Mamelodi, Fourways as Handover Looms

Gauteng’s rapid rail network is about to get much, much bigger.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced that the long-awaited expansion of the Gautrain network will resume this year, once the current concessionaire formally hands the asset over to the provincial government.

Delivering his State of the Province address, Lesufi revealed that the public-private partnership which delivered the Gautrain has created a R52-billion asset for the province.

“By the end of March this year, this private sector investment will now become due, and all the trains, the stock, the stations and the system will be formally handed over to the people of Gauteng,” he said.

Where the Trains Will Go

Lesufi confirmed that the expanded network will extend to:

• Soweto

• Mamelodi

• Springs

• Atteridgeville

• Fourways

• Parts of the West Rand

A later phase could see the network push further south to Sedibeng in the Vaal.

The Numbers Behind the Expansion

The original R27-billion investment secured in 2012 has nearly doubled in value over 14 years, Lesufi noted, underscoring the foresight behind the project.

Plans to grow the Gautrain network have been in development for several years. In 2022, the Gautrain Management Agency completed a route proclamation that included areas such as Cosmo City, Little Falls, and Randburga key legal step to secure land rights for the project.

In 2023, the agency said it was in advanced stages of preparing for a major expansion that would add about 150km of track to the current 80km system.

The project was already expected to begin in 2026, once the province assumes full ownership.

Jobs and Investment

Lesufi has repeatedly pledged to push ahead with the expansion, including during his 2024 and 2025 addresses, where he referenced a R120-billion investment plan.

He said the rail extension would act as a catalyst for economic growth, promising:

• More than 125,000 construction jobs

• Stimulated property, retail, and logistics development along the new corridors

What This Means

If implemented as outlined, the expansion would fundamentally reshape Gauteng’s commuter rail network, extending rapid rail access to communities that have long been underserved by public transport.

For residents of Soweto, Mamelodi, and Fourways, the promise of a train that runs on timeand fastcould transform daily commutes. For businesses along the new routes, the economic potential is enormous.

The handover happens this month. The expansion begins this year. Gauteng is about to get moving.

{Source: TheSouthAfrican}

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