DA MP Andrew Whitfield has renewed his promise to push for action on Grahamstown's derelict station when Parliament's new term starts on Tuesday 19 August.
DA MP Andrew Whitfield has renewed his promise to push for action on Grahamstown's derelict station when Parliament's new term starts on Tuesday 19 August.
In an emailed response to questions from Whitfield, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) said it planned to renovate the station complex to be a facility that could accommodate trains, long-distance buses and taxis. However, this depended on the availability of budget, the agency wrote.
Prasa confirmed that it is responsible for maintaining the building and related infrastructure, while Transnet is responsible for the maintenance of the railway infrastructure. Prasa leases the property from Transnet.
Whitfield asked the questions following a recent visit to the station with a group of concerned Grahamstown residents. Describing the ruined station as a symbol for the whole of Grahamstown, Whitfield vowed to use his position to push its owner to preserve and restore the heritage site.
In an emailed response to earlier questions from Grocott's Mail, Prasa said a 2010/2011 project cost estimate was approximately R4 million.
"That was before the facility was further vandalised recently," Prasa wrote. Adding to the rocketing costs of a possible project is the fact that the site is not secured. Prasa said another assessment would have to be conducted to determine current costs.
In an interview with Grocott's Mail this week, Whitfield renewed his promise to make known the plight of the station to the relevant ministers, when Parliament reopens on Tuesday.
Luvuyo Mini, from the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture said even though the station, being older than 60 years, should be declared a heritage site, it was not registered as such.
Mini said if Prasa or Transnet wanted the station to be officially declared a heritage site, they should write to the South African Heritage Resources Agency [SAHRA].
Only after their application had been approved would DSRAC be in a position to take action, he said.
