The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) recorded 9 200 safety-related occurrences, which is a 7.2% decrease from the previous year, while fatalities fell to 81, which is the lowest in five years, the entity notes in its Annual State of Safety Report for 2024/25.

However, the report shows that injuries increased to 336, which is the highest in five years.

There was also a 10.9% rise in operational safety incidents, which now sits above the five-year average, and these incidents were primarily driven by infrastructure deterioration and signalling failures, the RSR says.

The top five operational incidents were collisions, derailments, fires, pantograph hook-ups, and incidents involving persons struck by trains.

Most derailments occurred at low speeds in yards sidings and port terminals. Fires were linked to veld conditions and electrical faults and a number of collisions involved stray animals or vehicles on tracks.

A sharp increase in pantograph hook-ups revealed heightened vulnerability of electrical infrastructure, often tied to theft and asset degradation, the RSR says.

Security-related incidents dominated the safety landscape, and accounted for 70% of all reported occurrences. While asset theft declined by 17%, personal safety concerns, crowd-related disruptions and vandalism remain persistent threats.

KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of incidents, while Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape collectively accounted for the majority of fatalities and injuries, the regulator says.

Further, in terms of public rail operators, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa recorded a 94% increase in ridership figures, driven by its Rail Corridor Recovery Programme and the re-signalling of the Mabopane corridor, which is a flagship infrastructure upgrade.

State-owned Transnet Freight Rail showed modest recovery in freight movement and urban commuter train Gautrain maintained steady demand, despite a minor drop in ridership.

Additionally, to address systemic risks, the RSR conducted inspections and audits, issued enforcement directives to several operators and launched targeted investigations, including a board of inquiry into the Hammarsdale–Georgedale collision.

The RSR is committed to proactive oversight, accountability and sector-wide recovery, it says.

“A safe, secure and reliable railway system is needed for South Africa’s economic recovery and inclusive growth. Addressing the challenges demands urgent collaboration, innovation and investment across the sector,” says RSR CEO Brian Monakali.