Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network extension project, South Africa

20th September 2019 By: Sheila Barradas - Creamer Media Research Coordinator & Senior Deputy Editor

Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network extension project, South Africa

Name of the Project
Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN) extension project.

Location
Gauteng, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Gauteng Department of Public Transport and Road Infrastructure and Gautrain Management Agency (GMA).

Project Description
The proposed expansion of the Gauteng Rail Network will add 146 km of rail to the existing Gautrain system, incorporating 19 new stations in five phases over the next 20 years.

The current 80 km route has ten stations.

Tshwane will secure six new stations, Ekurhuleni three and Johannesburg ten.

The Phases are:

Phase 1: Marlboro to Little Falls through Sandton, Randburg and Cosmo City.

Phase 2: Little Falls to Jabulani, Soweto, through Roodepoort.

Phase 3: Rhodesfield to the East Rand Mall and Cosmo City to Sunninghill through Fourways.

Phase 4: Samrand to Tshwane East through Irene.

Phase 5: East Rand Mall to Boksburg, Cosmo City to Lanseria and Tshwane East to Mamelodi.

Potential Job Creation
The proposed expansion of the Gautrain rail system has the capacity to create about 21 100 direct jobs.

Capital Expenditure
Not stated.

Planned Start/End Date
The estimated planned start date/end date cannot yet be determined as it is dependent on the attainment of Treasury approval that will enable the start of the procurement process, which entails TAIIA (issuance of procurement documents to the market to pre-qualify bidders’ approval), TAIIB (issuance of proposals to prequalified bidders, and comparing bids received with each other and with the feasibility study approval), and TAIII (negotiations with the preferred bidder and financial closure approval) approvals. It is only thereafter that the start date can be determined.

Latest Developments
The GMA has completed a feasibility study for GRRIN, as per instruction from the Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC. This feasibility study was conducted under the framework for public–private partnerships in terms of the relevant National Treasury regulations of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999.  The study was completed in 2016 and provides sufficient detail regarding the preferred network implementation scenarios, and optimal value-for-money methods of delivery. The completed feasibility study was submitted to National Treasury in 2017 for Treasury approval for Phase 1 of the proposed network implementation scenarios.

Meanwhile, the GMA has initiated a preliminary route alignment study to determine the route for Phase 1 of the proposed network implementation scenarios. This study is being undertaken as per the prescripts of the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
SMEC Consortium, comprising SMEC South Africa, DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr and Deloitte (feasibility study).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project
GMA senior executive manager communication and marketing Dr Barbara Jensen, email barbaraj@gautrain.co.za.