Johannesburg – Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has blamed the damage to rail infrastructure across the country on a decision taken to remove security companies from various sites.

Repairs to the infrastructure are expected to cost in excess of R2 billion.

On Monday, during his site visit to the Kliptown train station in Soweto, Mbalula admitted no contingency plan was in place when the decision was made to remove the security companies.

“You know the decision that was taken about security companies at Prasa (Passenger Rail Agency of SA) without a contingency plan, to say, if you take out security because of illegal contracts, how do you then protect the infrastructure? That is something that was required and it was not done,” Mbalula said.

He noted that several stations had been vandalised and had become havens for drug users and other criminals. Cables and train tracks have been stolen at some stations, including at Mayfair station.