24 Feb 2020

 Residents of Palapye have called on Botswana Railways (BR) to re-introduce  practices which curbed train accidents.
 

They made the request during a public hearing into the cause of last year’s train accident near Pallaroad  at the Palapye Main Kgotla recently.

Among them they mentioned a  motor-trolley phased out some years back.

The motor trolley checked for wash aways and kick-out along the rail line caused by rains or floods and expansion due to heat respectively.

Residents also called for the re-introduction of ‘foot patrol’ where employees moved along the railway line with mechanical tools monitoring the status of the railway line.

Meeting attendants advised government to engage farmers along the railway line in monitoring the fence to curb theft.

A resident, Ms Malebogo Orapeleng said there were no train accidents during times when a motor-trolley was used.

The motor-trolley was abandoned yet it played a significant role maintaining safety of the train, she lamented.
 

Ms Orapeleng also indicated that foot patrols, which had also been phased out, played an important role in monitoring the condition of the railway line.

Expressing similar sentiments, another resident, Ms Goitsemodimo Sobey said during rainy reasons or floods the motor-trolley was released to monitor if the rail line was safe for use especially around Pallaroad area which had loamy and muddy soil.

That type of soil was unlikely to sustain the weight of the train resulting in accidents, she said adding that this might have been the reason for the 2019 accident.

Mr Ramotshabi Gabalese, a former BR employee, said there used to be railroad patrol-man moving in either a vehicle or bicycle along the railway road.

When any anomaly was noticed, the relevant BR authority would halt train movements, said Mr Gabalese.

Another former employee, Mr Benson Bojeng lobbied for the engagement of retired employees  to advise and provide expertise on railway line related matters.

Former employees could also be engaged to resolve railway line mechanical or engineering issues since they possessed the skill, knowledge and experience.

Palapye Customary Court senior chief representative Kgosi Olebile Masego expressed appreciation for the hearings.

He suggested that Serule and Topisi village leadership mobilise cattle post owners along the railway line to meet, discuss and come up with ways of curbing theft of fencing material in the rail reserve as well as to control livestock movement along the railway.

Kgosi Michael Maforaga, headman of arbitration at the Palapye main kgotla thanked President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi for setting up a commission of enquiry into the accident.

He said the initiative would have a positive impact on the rail transport business to avoid accidents.

Kgosi Maforaga expressed concern that the railway line was neglected and not monitored accordingly.

The rail line needed to be checked frequently, he advised.

For his part, boad of enquiry chairperson Mr Olefile Moakofi explained that consultations had been taking place in various parts of the country.

The sessions were meant to engage Batswana, collect and share information as well as get ideas on improvement of services, he explained.

He further explained that all the information would be compiled and presented to government. ENDS