Pretoria - Repair work to restore full Gautrain services between Pretoria and Hatfield was still under way on Sunday night, Gautrain spokeswoman Kesagee Nayager said.
“We expect to have power restored to one of the two tracks by the start of operations tomorrow morning (Monday) and in which case we will then operate a train shuttle service between Pretoria and Hatfield,” Nayager said.
If the technicians were able to restore power to both tracks over the course of last night, then normal operations would commence this morning, she said.
The accident occurred on Saturday morning when the driver of a truck with a cement mixer lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the fence in Loveday Street.
Tshwane Emergency Services spokesman Johan Pieterse said: “The truck crashed through the barrier at the bridge at Loveday Street in Muckleneuk.”
DRIVER TRAPPED
The truck went through the barrier, over the Gautrain tracks and came to a stop after crashing into a second barrier in Sunnyside. “The driver was trapped for 30 minutes before we could get him out. He sustained critical injuries and was rushed to hospital,” Pieterse said.
Lerato Nyelele, a resident who lives in a block of flats near where the incident happened, said: “When I came out all I could see was a lot of dust. I heard two crashes. The truck was driving down from Muckleneuk at the same time the train was travelling from the Hatfield station towards Pretoria station. The truck hit the train slightly before it landed on the tracks,” Nyelele said.
She said the truck driver sustained serious injuries to his head. On Saturday the ANC dismissed suggestions by a then unidentified national executive committee (NEC) member regarding a supposed “terrorist” attack on the Gautrain.
NOT A TERROR ATTACK
“The ANC has noted with dismay an unfounded claim by an NEC member who alleged that President (Jacob) Zuma said there are people planning a terrorist act to blow (up the) Gautrain,” ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said.
It was unfortunate that “general advice” by the president for the country to raise its vigilance in line with the world trend of guarding against terrorism had been grossly distorted. Zuma had said public places had been singled out by terrorists to create fear. In this regard, places where people gathered socially, public transport, including trains, and other public places could be targeted.
Weekend newspapers identified him as Kebby Maphatsoe, Deputy Minister of Defence and Veterans.
Pretoria News