25 Jan 2022

Botswana Railways (BR) is currently exploring models for resuming the passenger train service suspended almost two years ago due to COVID-19 outbreak.

Responding to a Ntlo Ya Dikgosi question on Monday, Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Thulagano Segokgo said the service was suspended in March 2020.

 Explaining that the virus was likely to be spread by high volumes of passengers, he said it would have been risky to continue with the service while the pandemic was  still raging.  

The minister said critical safety issues necessary for the passenger train service reinstatement included overhauling of the rail track, locomotives and coaches as well as replacement of signalling system. On the health side of things, he said re-configuration of the seating arrangement to accommodate social distancing and re-designing of the ventilation system for air circulation would have to be undertaken.

Minister Segokgo informed the house that a passenger train service was not profitable and that BR and the ministry were in constant discussions to find ways of running the it cost effectively.

The service, he explained, had been re-introduced in March 2016, operating overnight between Lobatse and Francistown daily and  later  extended to Bulawayo.

In terms of performance, patronage averaged at most 10 per cent of the capacity availed for most of the year, he said.

The minister however said on public holidays and some weekends, the service achieved 100 per cent capacity.

Mr Segokgo revealed that over the three years prior to the passenger train service’s discontinuation, BR net loses stood at P17.6m  in 2017-2018, P20.9m in 2018-2019 and  P18.9m in 2019-2020.

Kgosi Sibangani Mosojane of North East had asked the minister to brief the house on the efficacy of the passenger train service operating between Lobatse and Francistown.

He had also wanted to know when the passenger train would resume normal services after they were discontinued at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kgosi Mosojane wanted to know whether government was making profit or loss in the operation. 

Responding to another question, Minister Segokgo said the design and construction of the proposed trans-Kalahari railway linking Botswana and Namibia had not started.

He said the two governments were in the process of procuring consultancy  services for a study which would inform on the project’s bankability. 

Asked by Ghanzi West region’s Kgosi Mbao Kahiko III, the question sought an update on the design and construction of the proposed railway project. ends