Violence and decay at Daveyton’s train station have now reached Parliament following a brutal attack on five Gauteng crime wardens during their patrols.
The incident comes after written questions from both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA highlighted prolonged delays in restoring the station.
Despite repeated promises to have the station fully operational by October 2024, it remains in ruins with no visible progress.
The DA formally submitted a Petition to Rescue Daveyton Train Station, which was heard by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport on September 16.
Councillor Mike da Silva of the DA said the petition has been officially recorded and will be considered by the committee.
“The committee has agreed to take up the issue,” he said, explaining that recommendations will be divided between the police and transport portfolios. “If their responses are not satisfactory, the committee will conduct an on-site visit at the earliest opportunity.”
Da Silva stressed that the attack on Crime Wardens underscores the growing danger around the decaying station.
“The ANC government’s delays and broken promises have left residents trapped in poverty, cut off from economic opportunities, and forced to struggle just to survive,” he said.
He added that without a functioning station, residents continue to face higher transport costs and limited access to work and essential services.
ActionSA MP Malebo Kobe echoed the same concerns, insisting that both the Department of Transport and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) must be held accountable for failing to meet their commitments.
“Their repeated inability to stick to deadlines casts serious doubt on whether the Daveyton train station will ever be restored anytime soon,” she said.
During an oversight visit in 2024, Kobe noted that the station had been reduced to little more than a shell, stripped down to mortar and bricks.
Community members told the party they now spend up to four times more on transport due to the closure.
PRASA spokesperson Andiswa Makanda said that, due to budget constraints this financial year, plans for the Daveyton line will only be considered in the next financial year, depending on available funding.
The Star
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