Following an announcement that its bus service would be suspended starting on Tuesday morning, the Gautrain has once again left its passengers stranded.
This arrangement will continue until further notice, according to the rail company.
In a statement issued in the morning, the Gautrain requested that passengers using its bus service make other travel arrangements.
“Unfortunately, the bus service is suspended this morning until further notice. We apologise for the inconvenience,” reads the statement.
The suspension of its bus services comes after weeks since trains stopped working due to a resident allegedly drilling a borehole into the train path around the Rosebank area.
The 80km higher-speed express commuter rail line had to halt operations to fix the borehole problem.
Chwayita Bangani, a Johannesburg-based teacher and Gautrain bus commuter, stated that the bus service’s suspension will affect her.
Additional expenses
“The main thing that I love about the Gautrain services in general is that they are efficient and are always on time,” Bangani said.
“The suspension means that I will have to wake up hours earlier than my usual waking-up time to try and cover time.”
Since the commuters had already loaded enough trips on the bus card, she added, this meant additional expenses.
“This was unexpected. It started with the trains; now its the buses,” she said.
“All of this affects us, the commuters, because even the alternative transportation will only be possible because we have paid.”
The Gautrain train service connects OR Tambo International Airport, Kempton Park, Johannesburg, and Pretoria.
It is not the first bus company this year to halt operations in the city. Due to attacks on their buses and drivers, Rea Vaya and Putco have also been forced to suspend operations.
