Let's post everything regarding the proposed Monorail link in this thread.... :)

(Posted originally by Kulani)

Malaysian firm to build R12bn Soweto-Jo'burg monorail

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/art...hp?a_id=109049

By: Mariaan Olivier
Published: 15 May 07 - 12:57

Soweto and the Johannesburg city centre will soon be linked by a R12-billion monorail, which can transport over 1,5-million commuters a day, the Gauteng provincial government said this week.

Gauteng would sign a deal for the construction of the hybrid monorial carrier and related infrastructure along a corridor, such as shopping malls and residential areas, with a private investor on Wednesday.

This forms part of the provincial government's plans to implement an integrated transport system and consolidate the province as an economic and logistic hub.

The integrated monorail corridor project, which would be fully financed by a Malaysian company, would source all infrastructure and rolling stock in Gauteng, creating a number of jobs in the province.

The province is South Africa’s fastest growing region, but transport infrastructure has not kept up with the increased number of vehicles on the road.

To alleviate the traffic congestion between Pretoria, Johannesburg and OR Tambo International Airport, Gauteng is building the R25,1-billion Gautrain rapid-rail link. But government has been criticised for not investing in transport systems in formerly disadvantaged areas and that Gautrain was targeting a higher-income group.

Transport will also play an important role in the 2010 soccer World Cup, as three of the official stadiums are located in Gauteng, with Johannesburg, Soweto and Pretoria hosting games.

Gauteng finance and economic affairs MEC Paul Mashatile, the Gauteng Economic Development Agency CEO Keith Khoza and representatives of private investors will unveil more details on the project at the signing ceremony.

(Posted originally by Inertia)

Wow awesome news ^

would love to see more details abt this

(Posted originally by Mo Rush)

good stuff..really hoping the project will improve things

(Posted originally by Pule)

I know that there are projects, Transport related, that Malaysian companies will be busy with but I neve thought Soweto will have this.

If I had to take a decision, I would rather develop this kind of monorail between Sandton and Fourways and improve the train system in Soweto. The reason for this is that at least we got plenty of taxis transporting people from Soweto to the city and vice-versa, but between Sandton and Fourways, you mainly find people driving alone while it takes you about 2 hours to drive between the 2 destinations in peak.

^^ I agree. There is significant existing rail infrastructure between Jo'burg and Soweto. That infrastructure could be expanded and upgraded - and probably at less cost and effort than building a monorail. The world has had monorail technology for decades, yet there are very few monorails. That fact alone speaks volumes about some combination of system limitations, costs, etc.

P.S. - I copied all the original posts about this topic from the Economy thread to this thread. I hope no one minds.

Guys, looks like this thing is for real and they are damn serious about it!!! :banana:

Construction to start in September for R12bn Jo'burg-Soweto monorail

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/image.article.php?ai_id=31422
The monorail system will be able to carry about 1,5-million passengers from Soweto to Johannesburg on a daily basis.


By: Nelendhre Moodley
Published: 16 May 07 - 14:46

The Gauteng provincial government and the Gauteng Economic Development Agency (Geda) on Wednesday signed a deal with Malaysian group Newcyc Vision (Newcyc) for the construction of a R12-billion monorail system, the sod-turning for which will take place in September.

Speaking at the signing in Johannesburg, Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Affairs Paul Mashatile said that the system, which would be able to carry some 1,5-million passengers from Soweto to Johannesburg on a daily basis, would be operational by 2009.

“We want to do away with queues. At peak hour, people have to wait between three to four hours for taxis,” Mashatile said.

The province is South Africa’s fastest growing region, but transport infrastructure has not kept up with the increased number of vehicles on the road.

To alleviate the traffic congestion between Pretoria, Johannesburg and the OR Tambo International Airport, Gauteng is building the R25,1-billion Gautrain rapid-rail link. But government has been criticised for not investing in transport systems in formerly disadvantaged areas and that the Gautrain was targeting a higher-income group. Transport will also play an important role in the 2010 soccer World Cup, as three of the official stadiums are located in Gauteng, with Johannesburg, Soweto and Pretoria hosting games.

The cost for the full route of the monorail will, in 2009, be less than R10,00.

The hybrid monorail will run every 10 to fifteen minutes throughout the day, and between every three and five minutes at peak hours, across 39 stations.

The system will run off batteries and solar power and will be constructed along the road system.

However, transport expert Andrew Marsay, was sceptical about the success of the project, saying that the monorail was the wrong technology for mass transport.

He said that the nature of the monorail involved short trains that carried about twenty to thirty people.

“This technology is not suitable for mass transit. It is built in dense urban areas that do not have enormous amounts of space,” he told Engineering News Online.

However, the MEC for transport Ignatius Jacobs said that Newcyc had been working with government for over a year towards finalising the deal, which had included the completion of a feasibility study.

Newcyc and the provincial government would initiate discussions with the National Energy Regulator to ensure that there would be adequate power supply along the route, Mashatile told journalists.

As the monorail system was environmentally friendly, Newcyc CE Jeyakumar Varathan did not anticipate any problems associated with the environmental-impact assessment.

Newcyc is responsible for the Kuala Lumpur monorail.

"We can start construction immediately, however, we have asked for a three-month period to determine what lies underground, especially to determine where sewerage or power lines run," he explained.

In response to a question on the implications of the material, and skills shortages, Varathan said that raw materials were "not a problem", as they could be sourced from any of Newcyc’s subsidiaries involved in cement and metal production, in Malaysia, India or the Middle East.

“Initially we will bring moulds and skills from Malaysia and after that train the people here,” he said.

Newcyc was currently investigating potential black economic-partnerships.

Further, the company would soon start building a monorail production factory on 20 ha of land at Mogale city, which would be the feeder for monorail production for the rest of the continent.

Once the system was successfully in place, the province would look at rolling out the hybrid monorail in Ekhuruleni and Tshwane, Mashatile said.
But Marsay said that he was “very sceptical” about whether the monorail would be able to carry the targeted 1,5-million passengers a day, and pointed out that the monorail in Kuala Lumpur transported about 1-million people a month and about 40 000 passengers a day.

The monorail was best suited to transporting people short distances, especially with airports, distributing people within terminals.

Monorails typically have higher infrastructure costs than BRT, but lower than rail; and lower patronage than either.

“The metrorail on its busiest line carries between 120 000 and 140 000 people a day.”

“I would look closely at the financial arrangement and find out how it is funding the project and who in South Africa is benefiting from this arrangement,” Marsay added.


Edited by: Liezel Hill

i have to say that i have my doubts about the numbers the guys are talking about here like 1.5 million people a day. I hope that was a mistake and was meant to be 1.5 million per month or even per year!!! That's like moving the whole of Soweto and still having to ask the Alexandra guys to come and join!!

Perhaps the MEC was doing some sales pitching to excite people about the project. Also the R12 billion price tag sounds like a lot of cash, perhaps an extension to Gautrain could be financed with this sort of cash. Or is the MEC again talking about the total expected capital outlay projected once they have rolled it in Ekurhuleni and Pretoria. Any thoughts?

Even more info from the Newcyc website, well this thing is definately for real.

http://www.newsysip.com/sa_project.htm

http://www.newsysip.com/images/SA_map_1.jpg

ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Newcyc has bagged a Letter Of Intent from the MEC, Gauteng Province to Design, Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (DBOOT) the monorail as an alternative Mass Rapid Transport system in the city of Johannesburg. Newcyc through this project will contribute to the economic growth, create jobs and assist the government to fight poverty and to help, create sustainable communities. It will encourage the transport industry and other interested investors in South Africa towards the prosperity and growth of Gauteng province.
The picture which describes the proposed corridor in which Newcyc is going to work for DPR (Detailed Project Report) in Gauteng province.
The necessity of alternative Rapid Transport System for any corridor development is like fixing-up of lift for a multistoried building. Here in Newcyc , we design the corridor first and then we fix the most accurate & necessary mode of mass transport for the designed corridor.

i have to say that i have my doubts about the numbers the guys are talking about here like 1.5 million people a day. I hope that was a mistake and was meant to be 1.5 million per month or even per year!!! That's like moving the whole of Soweto and still having to ask the Alexandra guys to come and join!!

Perhaps the MEC was doing some sales pitching to excite people about the project. Also the R12 billion price tag sounds like a lot of cash, perhaps an extension to Gautrain could be financed with this sort of cash. Or is the MEC again talking about the total expected capital outlay projected once they have rolled it in Ekurhuleni and Pretoria. Any thoughts?

Alright, i have now found some articles which progressively begin to answer some of my initial suspicions. The cost to build the Joburg to Soweto link is actually going to be R173 million and its going to be built along the dual carriageways in the middle (a factor that must have simplified the EIA process).

'Going up' - Gauteng's new monorail

http://business.iafrica.com/news/870187.htm

Wed, 16 May 2007

A R12-billion monorail will be built between Johannesburg and Soweto in the next two years, it was announced on Wednesday.

"By 2009 no one from Soweto should have to wait more than 15 minutes for transport," Gauteng Finance and Economic Affairs MEC Paul Mashatile said at the launch of the project in Sandton.

Work on the 44.7-kilometre monorail and its 39 stations will start in September.

The monorail was intended to complement and not compete against existing forms of transport, said Mashatile.

Moving people ‘efficiently’

"The problem in South Africa when it comes to public transport is not competition; the problem is people queue for three to four hours (for transport).

"We want to move people: move them efficiently; move them safely; move them in an affordable way..."

It was hoped the monorail would move 1.5 million passengers a day, between Soweto and Johannesburg, to ease congestion on the roads.

The monorail service will consist of 4.5 metres high, rubber-wheeled carbon fibre carriages, 10 metres long and three metres wide — able to carry 107 passengers each.

These will run on concrete beams atop six-metre tall pillars situated mainly on the centre medians between road carriageways, and will dock at aerial stations accessed via escalators.

Set to be a hybrid

The hybrid variety used in South Africa will run on a combination of electricity and solar-powered batteries.

The monorail is expected to cost $25-million a kilometre (about R173-million) to build, but none of this will be borne by the government.

The project is a private sector initiative by the Malaysian investment consortium, Newcyc Vision, with which Mashatile, Gauteng Public Transport Road and Works MEC Ignatius Jacobs and Gauteng Economic Development Agency chief executive officer Keith Khoza signed a deal on Wednesday.

Newcyc has been given three months to find Black Economic Empowerment partners.

Companies invited

Newcyc chief executive officer Jeyakumar Varathan has invited both small local development companies and big civil construction companies to present the consortium with their profiles.

He said that while raw materials were being sourced outside South Africa because of present local shortages, construction would take place in the country at a factory in Mogale City, next to the Merafong Hospital.

Built on 20 hectares of land provided by the Gauteng government, the factory would be the hub of monorail developments throughout Africa.

Jacobs said he first proposed that the idea of a monorail for Gauteng be explored in his 2002 strategic agenda for transport.

However, year-long work on a feasibility study for the project had been kept largely secret until now to prevent any escalation in the prices of, among other things, land, said Mashatile.

Essentially a ‘skybridge’

The monorail was not expected to result in expropriations similar to those caused by construction of the Gautrain, and only minimal disruption was expected "because we're going up. This is a skybridge," said Jacobs.

"We are convinced we are entering a new era of modernising public transport to our province. It's a revolution," he said.

Instead of being run by computerised high technology, the South African service would be labour intensive, in the interests of creating jobs and reducing poverty, he said.

The project was expected to create 100 permanent jobs per kilometre. It would create 5000 jobs during construction with another 2400 at the factory.

While round-trip tickets were expected to cost R10 each, rides between stations would cost less, to encourage inner-city travelling in Soweto — between shopping centres, stadia and major heritage sites.

The entire route would take 45 minutes to cover at an average speed of 40 kilometres an hour, with a peak speed of 80 kilometres an hour. Trains would run every 10 to 15 minutes and every three minutes during peaks.

Sapa

Also read the Mail & Guardian to get the full story. Funny how you have to go through 2 or more news reports to actually find the truth!!!

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=308590&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/

Travel in the sky from Jo'burg to Soweto

Sumayya Ismail and Sapa | Johannesburg, South Africa

16 May 2007 03:24
A R12-billion monorail will be built between Johannesburg and Soweto in the next two years, it was announced on Wednesday.

"By 2009, no one from Soweto should have to wait more than 15 minutes for transport," Gauteng finance and economic affairs minister Paul Mashatile said at the launch of the project in Sandton.

Work on the 44,7km monorail and its 39 stations will start in September.

The monorail is intended to complement and not compete against existing forms of transport, said Mashatile. "The problem in South Africa when it comes to public transport is not competition; the problem is people queue for three to four hours [for transport].

He added: "We want to move people: move them efficiently; move them safely; move them in an affordable way."

It is hoped the monorail will move 1,5-million passengers a day between Soweto and Johannesburg, to ease congestion on the roads.

The monorail service will consist of 4,5m-high, rubber-wheeled, carbon-fibre carriages, 10m long and 3m wide -- able to carry 107 passengers each. These will run on concrete beams atop 6m-tall pillars situated mainly on the centre medians between road carriageways, and will dock at aerial stations accessed via escalators.

The hybrid variety used in South Africa will run on a combination of electricity and solar-powered batteries.

Costs
The monorail is expected to cost about R173-million a kilometre to build, but none of this will be borne by the government.

The project is a private-sector initiative by the Malaysian investment consortium Newcyc Vision, with which Mashatile, Gauteng public transport, road and works minister Ignatius Jacobs and Gauteng Economic Development Agency CEO Keith Khoza signed a deal on Wednesday.

Newcyc has been given three months to find black economic empowerment partners. Its CEO, Jeyakumar Varathan, has invited both small local development companies and big civil construction companies to present the consortium with their profiles.

He said that while raw materials are being sourced outside South Africa because of present local shortages, construction will take place in the country at a factory in Mogale City next to the Merafong Hospital.

Built on 20ha of land provided by the Gauteng government, the factory will be the hub of monorail developments throughout Africa.

Taxi industry
Sicelo Mabaso, chairperson of the National Taxi Alliance, told the Mail & Guardian Online on Wednesday afternoon that the new "high quality" modes of transportation being implemented will inevitably encroach on the province's taxi industry.

"The parallel processes of government, things like the monorail and the BRT [Bus Rapid Transit], all that and all these types of modes are fighting against taxi operations," Mabaso said.

He compared the current situation of taxi drivers to that of small traders put out of business by the emergence of big shopping malls, saying the plan seems to be to have these modes of transport ready in time for the 2010 Soccer World Cup when "commuters will obviously turn to these high-quality modes instead of taxis".

Mabaso said it is only a perception that commuters have to queue constantly to get taxis.

"It is only during peak hours in the morning and evening … for the rest of the day, taxis wait at the ranks for people to come. We are not making so much money; we only have business for a few hours a day. Now it is going to be worse than it is today," he said.

Secret process
Jacobs said he first proposed that the idea of a monorail for Gauteng be explored in his 2002 strategic agenda for transport.

However, year-long work on a feasibility study for the project had been kept largely secret until now to prevent any escalation in the prices of land, among other things, said Mashatile.

The monorail is not expected to result in expropriations similar to those caused by the construction of the Gautrain, and only minimal disruption is expected "because we're going up. This is a sky bridge," said Jacobs. "We are convinced we are entering a new era of modernising public transport to our province. It's a revolution."

Instead of being run by computerised high technology, the South African service will be labour intensive -- in the interests of creating jobs and reducing poverty, he said.

The project is expected to create 100 permanent jobs a kilometre. It will create 5 000 jobs during construction with another 2 400 at the factory.

While round-trip tickets are expected to cost R10 each, rides between stations will cost less, to encourage inner-city travelling in Soweto -- between shopping centres, stadiums and major heritage sites.

The entire route will take 45 minutes to cover at an average speed of 40km/h, with a peak speed of 80km/h. Trains will run every 10 to 15 minutes and every three minutes during peak times.

I'm impressed that they plan to move so quickly. But....

I agree that it's the wrong technology. Monorails don't operate over large distances anywhere. (Currently the world's longest monorail is in Osaka (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osaka_Monorail), and operates over half the distance of the proposed Soweto monorail.) And look at the picture included, it shows a 2-car train running next to a Mr. Price. 2-car trains to carry 1,5 million daily riders?? I live in a city with a rail transit system which yesterday (15 May) carried 712,636 passengers (http://www.wmata.com/riding/viewPage_update.cfm?ReportID=706). That on a system using 952 railcars (each car is 23m long) (http://www.wmata.com/about/metrofacts.pdf), which are usually grouped together to form 6-car trains; and that system is packed to the gills during peak periods.

But setting aside the capacity issues, the passenger projections are way off mark. Obviously the monorail will be nicer than the existing Metrorail coaches, so they'll certainly attract some people who don't currently use Metrorail. But these Malaysian okes are talking about daily ridership 10 times greater than Metrorail!! And let's not forget that this single-line Monorail won't reach as many areas as the existing Metrorail network.

Also, check out the company's website (http://www.newsysip.com/index.htm). According to it (http://www.newsysip.com/about%20us.htm), they 'specialize in the implementation of “Monorail” a Mass Rapid Alternative Transport System.' Yet they can point to no completed monorail system that they have built. None. All their monorail achievements show the same render (http://www.newsysip.com/index2.htm)of the same train parked at the same station. Yet they claim 'monorail achievements' in Sri Lanka, 3 Indian states, and Reunion.

In fact, of all their listed 'achievements', only two (a highway in Sri Lanka (http://www.newsysip.com/road.htm) and a Malaysian sports stadium (http://www.newsysip.com/infra.htm) opened in 1994) appear to be complete - and their webpage contains no details whatsoever about what specific roles NEWCYC played in those projects - neither of which involves a monorail, which is their alleged speciality. Of their other claimed achievements, only two (the Soweto monorail (http://www.newsysip.com/sa_project.htm) and a coalbed methane exploration project at Hwange up in Zim (http://www.newsysip.com/coal_PROJECTS.htm)) have even reached the letter of intent stage. If these people have been in business long enough to build a sports stadium in 1994, but have completed only 1 other project since, then that's pretty sad.

Finally, do a Google search (http://www.google.com/search?q=newcyc&hl=en&start=0&sa=N) for the company. You'll find almost nothing. And most of what you find is either the company's own tiny webpage, or stories related to the Soweto monorail project.

Obviously every business must start somewhere. But these folks don't fill me with confidence.

Umhlanga, you have captured my worries precisely. I just hope the Gauteng Transport Dept has done its homework and due-diligence with these guys. Also their CEO didn't seem to be saying anything during the press conference. Their numbers definately do not add.

That said, i am still hopeful they are for real as Soweto would benefit immensely from such a project and they do get their numbers together so the monorail is sustainable.

Even though it might not be the best option, it will probably look the most attractive! Very high tech and clean looking, unlike our train system.
For time and money wise, i actually think this is a 'good' alternative, the more taxi's we can get off the road the better. Think of all the nay-sayers towards the Gautrain, and already ppl are very excited abt it and the advantages it promises..

Wot other alternatives do we have? I think anything to do with road transport (more taxis, buses) is a bad idea, cos road congestion is something that needs to be illiminated.. As for more rail, it takes long and costs a lot of money. http://www.newsysip.com/index2.htm <- check that out, looks quite cool i must say

Looks cool, but this firm have never built one. (In fact, as I wrote above, they give no information as to what exactly they've built - anywhere in the world.)

Looks cool, but this firm have never built one. (In fact, as I wrote above, they give no information as to what exactly they've built - anywhere in the world.)

Its possible that they may simply be an SPV (special purpose vehicle) with an ambition to enter the public transport sector and the financial muscle to invest in this project. For me the most important thing is that they have the financial muscle to do this as well as experienced partners and/or sub-contractors. Anyone with enough money can put together the required experience to make this happen. They may very well have been relying on subcontractors and consultants for the EIA, economic and technical feasibility studies. I guess time will tell. I am watching them though.

Interesting project, though the ridership numbers seem ummm exagerated. There are, what, 2 to 3m people in Soweto. So around one third (750,000) are expected to use the monorail to go downtown (or elsewhere in Soweto) and back every day? I'm guessing trip originating downtown will be small?

Not sure about the comments that monorails are inneffective though. In Vancouver we have the "Skyrain" -which is really a monorail. It is well used and runs on an extensive network. There are some details at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)

Basically it's a 50 km, almost exclusively elevated, network. Around the same as the Soweto project. As a comparison ridership figures for Skytrain are given as 220,000 per day. I'm not sure whether this is trips or number of people who use it in a day. Public transport ridership figures often sound ridiculously large becauise what is being talked about is trips, and most people will make two trips in a workday. Population of greater Vancouver is around 2.5 million. Skytrain also usually uses two car trains, though at peak times two two-car trains are coupled together and they run pretty much as frequently as safe following distances will allow. Two to three minutes between trains maybe.

Just hope that the designers don't allow for open windows or doors when in motion and allow the "trainsurfers" to become momorail surfers!

All round it sounds like an interseting project. how did they keep in sect=ret for so long?

Have ridden the Monorail in KL that this is 'modelled' on - was brilliant!!! Great news for those who commute between Jo'burg and Soweto.

well, if you think about the fact that this is going to have 39 stations, most of which i hope will be in Soweto and the fact that people may use this to travel between different townships that makes up Soweto (there are about 79 townships in total) then there may be many trips made within Soweto on the monorail that might explain the unusually high figure of 1,5 million trips the MEC is talking about. So ultimately the trip between Soweto and Johannesburg may be simply a fraction of the total trips made on this Monorail.

Geez.. talk about being kept under wrap! This thing came out of nowhere!

Wonder what the taxi associations will say about this? They're gonna lose quite a bit of business me thinks..

For sure the ridership figures are exaggerated highly. Although the proposed route map is fairly small, it doesn't look as if the route will cover most of Soweto. But even if the route winds all over Soweto (and that's a big if), the proposed ridership figures require 750,000 Sowetans to make a daily roundtrip. Estimating Soweto's population has never been easy, but let's assume for the sake of argument that 1,5 million people live there. (I think the official census gives a much lower figure.) Subtract the elderly, the young & the unemployed. Basically, these proposed ridership figures are based on an assumption that every able-bodied, employed Sowetan will ride the monorail daily. Crazy.

Its possible that they may simply be an SPV (special purpose vehicle) with an ambition to enter the public transport sector and the financial muscle to invest in this project. For me the most important thing is that they have the financial muscle to do this as well as experienced partners and/or sub-contractors. Anyone with enough money can put together the required experience to make this happen. They may very well have been relying on subcontractors and consultants for the EIA, economic and technical feasibility studies. I guess time will tell. I am watching them though.

I agree that as long as they have the money to back this project, then that's a good thing. But I also agree that they must be watched, because this company have no published track record whatsoever. There are no media mentions of them available via the Internet, and their own website contains no details at all of their role in any completed project anywhere in the world. Gauteng people should watch these okes like hawks. Kulani, you should be Head Hawk. :lol:

guys dont buy those train tickets just yet. Remember that RENONG one of the biggest Malaysian developers and part of the Berhard group bought the Durban waterfront many year ago. 10 years later noting had happened and they were looking at the land value increase and not to fund.
its a big undertaking and 12 bil is a lot ot fund, even with a 60-40 debirt equity ratio they need 8 Bil to bring to the table ie $1bil. Not too many companys have that in petty cash.

Just be sceptical till you see the excavators

[QUOTE=kulani;13205816]Guys, looks like this thing is for real and they are damn serious about it!!! :banana:

Construction to start in September for R12bn Jo'burg-Soweto monorail

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/image.article.php?ai_id=31422
The monorail system will be able to carry about 1,5-million passengers from Soweto to Johannesburg on a daily basis.




WHY IS THE MONORAIL IN DURBAN THEN AS IN TEH PICTURE?

After reading all your comments I must say that it raise much to be desired. Remember that it was announced that Metrorail will introduce "Soweto-Train" in April 2007, but we haven't heard anything about it since then. The say that the train will be high class where by there will be cabin cre and news papaers will be provided to the passengers? Where's that, we still waiting.

I also question the issue of number of passengers, 1.5 million is rediculous. Are they taking buses and the taxi industry out of business?

We having a problem with eNatis, because some stupid company with no good track record was given a contract to develop it. The motor industry is loosing billions of rands.

Well its a matter of wait and see.

I dont think the Taxi's are going to like this, even if they do express their views & vote not for the monorail, it will go ahead. But then I hope they dont start stoning the thing when its complete, & the last thing we'll want is 1 of these derailing & falling onto the roads, that could be nasty!

but its a very good project & I would like to see this happen

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/image.article.php?ai_id=31422



WHY IS THE MONORAIL IN DURBAN THEN AS IN TEH PICTURE?

I also noticed that :lol: ...obviously taken from Durban's proposal a few years back. Awesome news for Joburg though!

Sigh... I live in hope. Guess we'll just have to see what happens in September.

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3835151

Malaysian loan crisis overshadows R12bn link
May 17, 2007

By Sibongile Khumalo

Johannesburg - As the agreement launching a R12 billion monorail link between Johannesburg and Soweto was being unveiled, the Kuala Lumpur system that the local link is modelled on was being repossessed by Bank Pembangunan Malaysian for defaulting on loans.

Sigh... I live in hope. Guess we'll just have to see what happens in September.

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=

Malaysian loan crisis overshadows R12bn link
May 17, 2007

By Sibongile Khumalo

Johannesburg - As the agreement launching a R12 billion monorail link between Johannesburg and Soweto was being unveiled, the Kuala Lumpur system that the local link is modelled on was being repossessed by Bank Pembangunan Malaysian for defaulting on loans.

Eish!!!

I see he gives more information in the business report article about the composition of his consortium. Hopefully Akuna mathatha.

He explained that the South African project would initially be funded entirely by Newcyc Vision, a consortium of Malaysian property developers, electronics companies and others.

well, if you think about the fact that this is going to have 39 stations, most of which i hope will be in Soweto and the fact that people may use this to travel between different townships that makes up Soweto (there are about 79 townships in total) then there may be many trips made within Soweto on the monorail that might explain the unusually high figure of 1,5 million trips the MEC is talking about. So ultimately the trip between Soweto and Johannesburg may be simply a fraction of the total trips made on this Monorail.

ya that makes sense these guys will also cash in on 2010 as the fnb staduim is in soweto so are a couple of training grounds for 2010 e.g. orlando stadium

ps: joburg the taxis are bitching about how this is going to steal their jobs :ohno: but its progress what do think the rickshaw guys said when they invented cars?

ah well its something it keep us interested for a couple of weeks personal i believe the figures are poo! last see in September then

lol they used a picture of downtown durban for the monorail! hehe.

Personally i think its a nutty idea to do a monorail for such a long distance. As was discuss in the Durban monorail/tram thread long ago, the cost of building monorails are by far the most expensive form of transport per metre built. As such they are mainly used as gimics for tourist related area's with stations in very close proximity and the entire system covering a small area.

To develop it over many many km's as would be the case in this instance it would more than likely dwalf the costs of the gautrain, and not even carry the same number of people. For monorail is not a high volume transport system anywhere, really.

Its a good plan to give a good transport structure to the soweto area, but i think improved rail and fast bus type infrastructure would be a far better and cost effective method.

and as giles says, look how the malaysians F-d up the durban point for many years.

Why were there no public participations if this is be signed??? A project if this magnitued would def need them too

Does this mean designs have already being drawn, Check this out

http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2007/may/monorail000.jpg
An artist's impression of the monorail station at the Jabulani mall

I wouldn't worry too much about the loan debacle surrounding the Kuala Lumpur monorail. As the CE points out, this company have nothing to do with that project.

But the reason to worry about this project is because this company seem to have nothing to do with any completed monorail project - anywhere.

The CE says they've built monorails in India and Sri Lanka. Where?

Search the Internet for any pictures or references to monorails in Sri Lanka. You'll find a few references to projects proposed several years ago. But you'll find no references or pictures of a completed or under construction monorail anywhere in Sri Lanka. And Newcyc's own website gives no details about a Sri Lankan monorail. All it shows is a photo of a monorail parked at a station (http://www.newsysip.com/index2.htm); the same photo used throughout the site for all of Newcyc's 'monorail achievements' Oh, and if you look closely at the sign above the station, you'll see that photo happens to be of the Las Vegas monorail! (And not even this bunch are willing to claim that they built the Las Vegas monorail.)

Same for their alleged Indian monorail. Where is it? Their website lists 3 possible spots: Pune (a city), Kerala (a state) & Tamil Nadu (another state). The fact that Newcyc can only give a state-size location is dodgy in and of itself. They can't be more specific? But let's look at the possible locations:


Pune once floated the idea of building a 'SkyBus', but as of the beginning of this year (http://www.indiatogether.org/2007/jan/eco-brtpune.htm), the project hadn't started, and the technology doesn't even have a safety certificate from the Indian government. And the proposed SkyBus technology is very different than the technology that Newcyc claims to use. (The Indian SkyBus is suspended from an overhead rail (http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/13/stories/2006111303341800.htm). There is a test track in Goa (not Pune), but that's it. And there's no mention of Newcyc in any article.)



There's no record of a monorail operating or under construction anywhere in Kerala.



There's no record of a monorail operating or under construction anywhere in Tamil Nadu. There are references to a controversial 2006 plan (http://www.hindu.com/2006/02/10/stories/2006021005141100.htm) to build a monorail in Madras. Newcyc have a page with an animated picture (http://www.newsysip.com/mono-Pg2.htm) of a monorail rising above a street in Chennai (Madras). But that's it. Why? Because there is no monorail in Madras!


Why can't Newcyc provide any details of any completed project anywhere in the world? The most they can claim is involvement in a sports stadium that opened 13 years ago, and a highway in Sri Lanka. But they make no mention of what role they played in either project. Beyond those two projects, they can claim a letter of intent to engage in methane exploration up at Hwange, and now they can point to a letter of intent in Jo'burg.

As far as the station design goes, I got suspicious once I realised that Newcyc's monorail photo is of a project that not even they claim to have been involved in. So I did an image search (http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=monorail+station&toggle=1&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-501&b=1) for 'monorail station'. Sure enough, the 4th image found is of the Bukit Bintang station in Kuala Lumpur (http://www.molon.de/galleries/Malaysia/KL/Monorail/img.php?pic=7). Look at the double-level balconies on either side in each picture. They're identical.
http://www.molon.de/galleries/Malaysia/KL/Monorail/images01/07%20Bukit%20Bintang%20Monorail%20station.jpg
http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2007/may/monorail000.jpg
The 'Jabulani Mall Station' photo probably isn't based on the Bukit Bintang station, but I'll bet R500 that the Jablulani photo is based on a photo from somewehre along the Kuala Lumpur monorail line, but with a new name added in via Photoshop. But the Jabulani Mall photo is hosted on a Jo'burg website, so we can't blame Newcyc for it.

But set aside the station photos. Look at track record. Look for visible proof of Newcyc's capabilities. This company seem very dodgy. They're especially dodgy given the sorry history that SA BOY points out: look what Malaysian investors 'did' to the Durban Point.

Interesting.. Well i doubt the Gauteng province would sign a deal with a company that doesnt really exist or is making fraudulent claims.. I'm sure they've done their homework

Why were there no public participations if this is be signed??? A project if this magnitued would def need them too


Yup.. i think the taxis are gonna have a fit. They are the ones who I think would require the most consultation, since Soweto-Joburg is very much their busiest corridor.

Anyway.. seeing all these renders make me excited ass.

.
http://www.molon.de/galleries/Malaysia/KL/Monorail/images01/07%20Bukit%20Bintang%20Monorail%20station.jpg
http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2007/may/monorail000.jpg
The 'Jabulani Mall Station' photo probably isn't based on the Bukit Bintang station, but I'll bet R500 that the Jablulani photo is based on a photo from somewehre along the Kuala Lumpur monorail .


Yep you right, that is right near Bhukit Bintang plaza, out side Sung Wei shopping center, I scored with a hot aussie chick there on news years eve at the street party:banana: ........ so I should know :D

haha!!! seems they taking pictures from everywhere

Yep you right, that is right near Bhukit Bintang plaza, out side Sung Wei shopping center, I scored with a hot aussie chick there on news years eve at the street party:banana: ........ so I should know :D

I will be awaiting the Jabulani Mall station's completion in Soweto and maybe i too could score a hot Soweto chic like Durbsboi, lol.

Yep you right, that is right near Bhukit Bintang plaza, out side Sung Wei shopping center, I scored with a hot aussie chick there on news years eve at the street party:banana: ........ so I should know :D

That is my FAVOURITE part of KL... :)

A R1-billion 64-floor highrise in Joburg's CBD? I'm fearing that this dude plays too much Sim City......

Monorail mastermind concocts commuter cure
May 20, 2007

By Sibongile Khumalo

Johannesburg - The proposed R12 billion monorail line between Soweto and the Johannesburg central business district could be just the first spoke in a multibillion-rand public transport network.

The plan announced this week proposes similar links from Fourways in the north and Ekurhuleni in the east to the centre of the country's economic engine-room.

Front-page newspaper reports, swept away by the surprise announcement, barely scratched the surface of the vast scheme proposed by Jeyakumar Varathan, the director of Newcyc Vision, a Malaysian-based consortium which unveiled the scheme with Gauteng finance MEC Paul Mashatile.

Based on the projected cost of the Soweto monorail, which could be built by 2009, the transport revolution that would finally turn Johannesburg's disintegrated commuter transit systems into an efficient linked network could be in the region of R40 billion.

Although Varathan frequently seemed coy and reluctant to divulge the specifics of the projects, or the details of Newcyc's partners and financiers, he is expansive about the potential for the monorail concept, supported by large scale commercial development at key points along the 44.7km route between the city centre and Protea in the west of Soweto.

He says his company has big plans for the city, and has invested too much money to just start something that would fail.

"We didn't just suddenly decide to do this project. Our feasibility study revealed that our plans were unlikely to fail," Varathan said when Business Report met him in his office on an otherwise empty floor of a Sandton office block.

Not only does Varathan plan to change the face of public transport in Johannesburg, but he also wants to change the city's skyline by building Africa's tallest building as a landmark headquarters costing more than R1 billion.

On the wall behind his desk is an artist's impression of a glitzy, futuristic 64 storey twin tower Varathan says will be built near the existing Bree Street taxi rank and Metromall to serve as the monorail's terminus close to the Gautrain station. Varathan says the concept for the building is based the Petronas towers built in Kuala Lumpur in 1995.

His confidence that the tower would easily attract and retain tenants was not shared by JHI property manager Owen Lombard.

"The inner city is faced with a problem of exodus of tenants to upmarket office parks. The structure and beauty of the building alone does not guarantee any instant flock of tenants to the city," he said.

"This is a huge over-the-top development whose survival will depend on support from various stakeholders in the city development front."

Varathan's bold plans have received a nod of approval from the Gauteng Economic Development Agency's chief executive, Keith Khoza, who is effusive in his confident backing of the project.

"The Newcyc plan bodes well for the city's rejuvenation plan and will be contributing immensely to the local economy and skills development," Khoza said.

"The agency receives a lot of proposals from potential investors. We looked at Newcyc's proposal with great care. We studied the company's credentials and their past projects in eastern countries.

"We usually work with our embassies in doing thorough background verifications of foreign companies we intend to work with. They have been praised for the work they have done in Malaysia and China.

"The monorail investor chose Soweto because of its viability and the high commuter numbers. Other areas of Johannesburg will be incorporated in other developments we have in place."

Varathan said Newcyc also planned to spend R700 million in the construction of a monorail rolling stock plant in Mogale City. The plant would also manufacture the precast elevated concrete running tracks for the monorail. The construction phase was expected to create more than 5 000 jobs. The Soweto system was projected to create 2 500 permanent jobs.

Varathan said a further R1 billion would be spent on transferring Malaysian engineers to the country to train the local workforce. Specialists would include bricklayers and engineers specialising in manufacturing monorail components.

"I want to equip local people with adequate skills in manufacturing and operating the monorail. I don't want this project to be seen as a Malaysian contract," he said.

On Wednesday Varathan strenuously distanced himself and his company from news that a small monorail system in Kuala Lumpur, reportedly the model for the Soweto monorail, had been repossessed by Bank Pembangunan Malaysia for defaulting on loans.

The state-owned financier took the step following three years of losses, after sales had failed to meet targets and requests for the government to raise fares were refused.

"The failure of the system cannot be blamed on us. Malaysia has a very small number of commuters. There are just 70 000 compared with Johannesburg's millions," he said. Varathan said he was hoping to use South Africa as a springboard to venture into the wider African market.

The hybrid powered train will travel the route from Protea to Bree Street stopping in 39 stations, including Orlando and FNB stadium. Newcyc believes the corridor will service about 1.5 million passengers a day.

Johannesburg-based transport expert Andrew Marsay was not convinced that the Monorail would provide a solution to the city's rapidly escalating transport and congestion problems.

"The monorails are better suited for countries with a low population density as they carry few people, they are not like normal trains. I don't think it would be possible for them to meet the demands of local commuter volumes. The monorail technology is not suitable for mass transit," he said.

Local taxi associations came out strongly against the new system invading their routes. The majority of them complained about being kept in the dark about the developments, which had been kept under wraps until this week.

Tutu Molefe, the chairman of the Gauteng Taxi Council, said: "We are worried about being left out from a project that is likely to take away our business. We are worried about losing our livelihood, at least they should tell us to start looking for jobs. This is going to cause us a lot of uncertainty."

Man there is alot of construction goin on SA.....gautrain, WC stadiums, other buildings...I wanna know if there are construction for the poorer side of town in SA...

Man there is alot of construction goin on SA.....gautrain, WC stadiums, other buildings...I wanna know if there are construction for the poorer side of town in SA...

Yes.
1. Athlone Stadium
2. Philippi Stadium

All world cup host cities are required to provide training venues of FIFA standard. This way previously disadvantaged areas also gain from improved sports and transport infrastructure.

Keep monorail off taxi routes - taxi council

May 18 2007 at 04:20PM

Gauteng's planned monorail should be kept off taxi routes, the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) said on Friday.

Santaco secretary general Philip Taaibosch said there was no agreement between the taxi industry and the government on the planned monorail between Soweto and central Johannesburg.

He said the project would be "irresponsible spending and utter waste of taxpayers' money" if implemented without the taxi industry's involvement.

Taaibosch said the industry and government had established a good partnership based on consultation, and the monorail plan was disrupting this.

On Wednesday, the Gauteng government announced plans for a R12-billion monorail between Johannesburg and Soweto, to be built within the next two years.

The government said the monorail would complement not compete with other forms of transport. - Sapa

Is this a pie in the sky?
May 18, 2007 Edition 1


The surprise announcement by the Gauteng Economic Development Agency this week about the construction of a monorail between Johannesburg and Soweto is to be welcomed, even though a lot of scepticism surrounds it. The provincial agency said construction will start in September on the 44,4km rail, with 39 stations, and that the system will be operational by 2009.

This - together with the Gautrain and the City of Johannesburg's own plans to improve the bus and taxi system - should lead to an increase in the use of public transport and a decline of the number of cars on the roads, which are now highly congested.

Gauteng Finance MEC Paul Mashatile said this should result in no person from Soweto waiting for more than 15 minutes for public transport.

The line will run on concrete beams on 6m-high pillars situated mainly on the central medians between road carriageways and will dock at aerial stations accessed via escalators. The 39 stations will be situated between Protea Glen in Soweto and Bree Street in the Johannesburg CBD.


That said, the plan sounds too ambitious to be achieved in such a short period of time.

Although the feasibility study has been completed, there remains a long list of legal requirements which have to be met, including environmental impact and other studies, periods for objections and appeals, and the signing of complicated agreements with the private sector partner, a Malaysian company. If there are objections and court cases, there could be even longer delays.

The Gautrain, which involves 77km of rail, took six years of legal preparation before construction could start. The government announced the express train in 2000 and the public was told it would start running in 2006. Construction only started last year and only one section is expected to start running by 2009 - a delay of over three years.

The secrecy surrounding this new Soweto monorail remains a mystery. Although Mashatile said taxi associations had been consulted, many say they weren't informed and they perceive it to be a threat - a fact that could lead to protests and further delays.

I agree that all these ambitious plans of the Malaysion company are very pie in the sky-ish, but a 64 floor twin tower in the Joburg CBD would be quite breathtaking.. Doubt though anything like this would happen before 2010

I agree that all these ambitious plans of the Malaysion company are very pie in the sky-ish, but a 64 floor twin tower in the Joburg CBD would be quite breathtaking.. Doubt though anything like this would happen before 2010

Perhaps he is seeing something we aren't seeing. Perhaps he is seeing a Dubai in Johannesburg. LOL :cheers:

well the taxi route thing sounds scary..if the city doesnt keep it off the routes..the taxi drivers will take the law into their own hands and make sure the routes are theirs..doing whatever it takes..

I dug around the Internet to try to find out more about this proposal. I found a website of the investment company that is supposedly going to pay for this thing. As a result, I have my doubts as to the validity of this project. For one thing, they have used copyrighted video from my organization without authorization, a major clip from our DVD "Monorails of Malaysia." They haven't contacted us at all for permission. Guess what, they'll be hearing from us! If this is how this company acts with property that isn't theirs, can they be trusted to build a project of this size? I smell a rat.

Kim Pedersen
President/Founder
The Monorail Society
http://www.monorails.org

Cheers to you, mistermonorail. This company have no public track record, and their website is shoddy at best, fraudulent at worst. What baffles me is why no SA reporters have asked any tough questions. If we on this forum can uncover the holes in Newcyc's story within a matter of minutes, then it's pathetic that some reporter at Business Day or The Star can't do the same.

Yeah, something is not right here. I must agree. I mean come on. There is just NO WAY they would be able to start construction in September. I don't see it happening.

And this company really does sound dodge!

I dug around the Internet to try to find out more about this proposal. I found a website of the investment company that is supposedly going to pay for this thing. As a result, I have my doubts as to the validity of this project. For one thing, they have used copyrighted video from my organization without authorization, a major clip from our DVD "Monorails of Malaysia." They haven't contacted us at all for permission. Guess what, they'll be hearing from us! If this is how this company acts with property that isn't theirs, can they be trusted to build a project of this size? I smell a rat.

Kim Pedersen
President/Founder
The Monorail Society
http://www.monorails.org

As well as I not trust this project, I still say that you Kim must also show your leadership by consulting local news papers like www.thestar.co.za, www.sowetan.co.za, the mail and guradian and so forth. Even the governemnt itself. It will to the best of the nation.

Cheers to you, mistermonorail. This company have no public track record, and their website is shoddy at best, fraudulent at worst. What baffles me is why no SA reporters have asked any tough questions. If we on this forum can uncover the holes in Newcyc's story within a matter of minutes, then it's pathetic that some reporter at Business Day or The Star can't do the same.

There was a very negative piece on the monorail in the Daily News. They basically tore it apart and said it will never ever happen. Sadly i cant access the article online for its rated as "premium content" and hence only available to subscribers. if any of you are, then please go to www.dailynews.co.za and search for monorail. it will come under opinion pieces.

otherwise, thanx for mrmonorail coming to air his views. its shockign that a company that purports to be investing R12-40billion, would steal from another org!!!! thats shocking! Why would someone ever even attempt to do something this large when they have no clue what they are doing? and why would the gauteng gov fall for their gimmicks?????

its shockign that a company that purports to be investing R12-40billion, would steal from another org!!!! thats shocking! Why would someone ever even attempt to do something this large when they have no clue what they are doing? and why would the gauteng gov fall for their gimmicks?????

Not only did they steal from a non-profit monorail advocacy group, but they use pictures of the Las Vegas monorail as proof of their track record. Yet oddly enough, not even they claim to have played any role whatsoever in the Las Vegas project.

This company may in fact have a clue what they're doing. They may have financed and/or built dozens of monorails all over the world. But if that's the case, then why doesn't their website show pictures, give detail, or even list specific locations of their completed or in-progress projects? Why are there no media references to this company, except references related to the Soweto-Jo'burg project? And why did the company CE claim that they built monorails in Sri Lanka and India when neither of those countries has a functioning monorail?

Again, these okes may be the world leader in monorail construction and financing, but where's the public proof? There may be no gimmicks whatsoever involved in this project, but there is also no proof whatsoever that these Malaysians fellows are legit.

Where are the media on this issue? Questions have been raised about several aspects of this project, but there have been very few questions about perhaps the most important aspects: Can these people be trusted? And, as Dysan says, if they are to be trusted, what information do the GP authorities have that inspires such trust?

Hmmmm....Newcyc's website (http://newsysip.com/) now has no content and is 'under construction.' Well, we now know that Newcyc is working on at least one project! :lol:

Mistermonorail, did you make a protest yet to Newcyc? Perhaps the website construction is related to your protest?

Let's hope the new website has more details of their other completed and ongoing projects.

Hmmmm....Newcyc's website (http://newsysip.com/) now has no content and is 'under construction.' Well, we now know that Newcyc is working on at least one project! :lol:

Mistermonorail, did you make a protest yet to Newcyc? Perhaps the website construction is related to your protest?

Let's hope the new website has more details of their other completed and ongoing projects.

Yeah, some good lessons for any would be new investors in billion dollar projects. START BY INVESTING IN YOUR OWN WEBSITE which costs just under $1000!!! :lol: Anyone with the energy to perhaps chase up this with a certain nitesh@geda.co.za whose e-mail i got from the Gauteng Economic Development Agency (GEDA) website, perhaps he can give us some answers regarding the where abouts of the investor who seem to have vanished.

So they steal from monorails.org, from the Durban monorail bid by Durban ad-ventures, from las vegas, from KL...gee the list seems endless!! Journalists reading this?? wake the F up and do some proper reporting!

Hmmmm....Newcyc's website (http://newsysip.com/) now has no content and is 'under construction.' Well, we now know that Newcyc is working on at least one project! :lol:

Mistermonorail, did you make a protest yet to Newcyc? Perhaps the website construction is related to your protest?

Let's hope the new website has more details of their other completed and ongoing projects.

As a matter of fact I was just now going to protest directly to Newcyc, but I notice the "offending" pages seem to have disappeared. I suspect we found a site that was only a prototype, yet we were able to find it. I hope this is a good proposal with legitimate financing and backing, but only time will tell if it is. Doesn't seem they're doing too well on the public relations front though.

well dubais public transport system on the red and green line is about 50km and costs $4.4bil which is R31bil plus some change so how are these monkeys gonna do it R12bil.
I told you guys dont get too excited about this cos it doesnt stack full stop. This sort of project would require at least 12 months of market recearch and feasabilty studies, 12 months EIA and public consultation and it would start maybe 2-3 years after its announced, not be finnished in less than 2 years.

Shame poor old provincail cronnies were already linning their pockets with the deals and it seems they are the biggest loosers

This whole thing was laughable from the start...

Soweto monorail 'unrealistic'

May 22 2007 at 11:42AM

By Anna Cox

The proposed monorail between Soweto and Johannesburg CBD, planned to solve the city's transport problems by transporting 1,5 million commuters a day, cannot possibly work.

Basic calculations show that in order to meet this demand the system would need 6 000 carriages to depart from Soweto in a three-hour period to move the proposed passenger load on the rail system.

The Gauteng Economic Development Agency last week (CR) announced that a R12-billion, 44km monorail will constructed from Protea in Soweto to Bree Street in town; and will be built, financed and operated by a little-known Malaysian consortium.

Tim Sargeant says few monorail systems in the world carry more than 100 000 passengers per day - yet the Johannesburg one plans to convey 15 times that, far outstripping the longest functioning monorail route in the world: a 23km monorail in Osaka, Japan.




According to Tim Sargeant, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on the environment, basic research shows that the proposed 1,5 million passengers per day means 750 000 each way.

Assuming, he said, that 80 percent of these would want to travel in the early morning and late afternoon rush hours, there would be about 600 000 people trying to travel in an approximate three-hour period each way.

At 100 people per carriage, 6 000 carriages would be required to leave Soweto in a three-hour morning period - equating to 2 000 carriages departing each hour or about 33 per minute.

"Loading 100 passengers every two seconds for a period of three hours would represent an unparallelled, record-shattering achievement. Disgorging 600 000 people into the Johannesburg CBD at the rate of 50 people per second would also raise some interesting logistical issues there," he said.

"The chances of such a preposterously unrealistic system being approved, constructed and implemented by September 2009 are precisely nil," he said.

Gauteng Economic Development Agency spokesperson Barba Gaoganediwe said the monorail would succeed, with "the trick" being in the frequency of trips and large number of stations.

"The rail will have a number of switches to allow carriages to pass one another at great frequencies. If you consider how many passengers the 14-seat taxi carries each day through high volumes of traffic and frequent stops to and from Soweto many times a day, this can be possible because the rail moves quickly in both directions without people having to wait for the train to come back.

The prophets of doom should focus their energy on making this system work instead of criticising it," he said.

How can you argue against the reality of basic maths? But the guys promises us they have a "trick" to deal with the large number of people and carriages? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I can't believe I am a prophet of doom concerning a big project - but this is the dodgiest, most insane, stupid and ludicrous idea ever. When will it end? Is there no limit to greedy politicians and their ability to listen to ill-informed advisors?

How can you argue against logic? But they clearly choose to do so.

"Not only does Varathan plan to change the face of public transport in Johannesburg, but he also wants to change the city's skyline by building Africa's tallest building as a landmark headquarters costing more than R1 billion.

On the wall behind his desk is an artist's impression of a glitzy, futuristic 64 storey twin tower Varathan says will be built near the existing Bree Street taxi rank and Metromall to serve as the monorail's terminus close to the Gautrain station. Varathan says the concept for the building is based the Petronas towers built in Kuala Lumpur in 1995."

OK, another thing... How the hell do you build a 64 storey tower - A TWIN TOWER, with only R1billion?

ABSA is spending R1,2billion on something much less glamarous and idealistic. Hohum, these guys are crackpots

For perspective. The Spinnaker's initial cost calculations were R350m. With rising construction costs, i'm sure it has risen. Anyone trying to build the spinnaker now would be looking at at least R450m, and in 2 years time R550m-600m. And its only 29F... these guys seem to have no clue.

For perspective. The Spinnaker's initial cost calculations were R350m. With rising construction costs, i'm sure it has risen. Anyone trying to build the spinnaker now would be looking at at least R450m, and in 2 years time R550m-600m. And its only 29F... these guys seem to have no clue.

Well, they really seem to be substituting the reality of the situation with their own alternative reality. If they really think it is possible to have 33 (100 seater cariages) leaving every minute!!!! Are they absolutely mind-bended?

It irritates me. And this news has been lavishly splashed all over - even international media picked up on it. What an absolute embarrasment. And what an irritation that the "decision-makers" will not be held accountable for their own lapse in judgement (in fact, they will prob get a nice fat bonus at the end of the year for Visionary Leadership). Government should be built on more than idealistic dreams and visions. We need concrete, PRACTICAL leadership.

Im in a bad mood.

It is cold.

20 May 2007
By Benjamin Moshatama

Fourways traffic congestion may become a thing of the past if Gauteng bosses can persuade the builders of Soweto's new monorail to expand the service.

Soweto residents are excited that they will be getting a R12-billion monorail, on which they will be able to charge their cellphones and log on to the Internet while travelling.

Gauteng Development Agency head Keith Khoza says it is in discussions with the Malaysian consortium involved about erecting similar railways around northern Joburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.

Khoza said the consortium, Newcyc Infra-Project Limited, may agree to expand the network if the Soweto line proves profitable.

"We have already discussed with the investor looking at areas in Ekhurhuleni, Tshwane and Fourways because these are huge challenges as there are large concentrations of commuters in those areas," he said.

Any future monorail plans would require consultation.

"We will speak with the communities in those areas to see how this project will benefit them. But I am sure that the investor will give an indication of how that will happen," he said.

By 2009, Joburg is set to join international cities like Sydney, Seattle and Tokyo that have monorail services.

The Soweto-Joburg rail plan took most by surprise at its Wednesday launch. The 44km service is to run from Protea South through Soweto and on to the Bree Street taxi rank in Joburg?s inner city.

The railway will have 39 stations, and stops will be made at popular destinations like Protea, White City, Soweto's shopping malls, the Mandela Museum, FNB Stadium and Gold Reef City.

The service will run in both directions high above ground and will be able to transport 1.5 million commuters daily.

The monorail's cars will run on rubber wheels that will travel along narrow concrete beams supported by 6m- high pillars.

Jeyakumar Varathan, boss of transport consortium Newcyc, said the train system could carry up to 40,000 passengers an hour in the peak direction, with each car able to hold 107 commuters.

The full journey from Soweto to Joburg is expected to take 45 minutes at the off-peak speed of 40km/h. It will travel at 80km/h during peak periods.

Varathan said the monorail system was safe and there had not been an accident on one. Cars were impossible to derail, he claimed.

Other features of the project were "of a high standard" including lifts to trains, cellphone chargers and access to Internet services, Varathan said.

Tickets are expected to cost up to R10 for the full trip and less than that if passengers travel only a short section of the route.

Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Affairs Paul Mashatile said the railway would help ease Joburg's transport problems.

"We want to avoid long queues as people are waiting for up to 50 minutes for transport to take them home. But with this system, nobody will have to wait. The monorail is a system that will aid our efforts for a safe, efficient, comfortable and affordable system," he said.

Construction of the monorail will begin in September and promises to create up to 5,000 jobs.

Sunday Times

Thanks for posting the maths exercise, Jakes. It's incredible that the GP leaders have fallen for such insane numbers. This is the sort of trickery that you expect the mayor of some 50,000-person town to fall for. You don't expect the leadership of the wealthiest, most densely populated province in the country to get conned by such silly proposals.

I laughed when I read Gauteng Economic Development Agency spokesperson Barba Gaoganediwe's comparison to the 14-seater taxi. Half the taxis I've seen in SA carry far more people than the 14 seats allow. Maybe the Malaysians will hire some taxi drivers to for advice on how to cram 170 people into each monorail carriage. :lol:

Thanks for posting the maths exercise, Jakes. It's incredible that the GP leaders have fallen for such insane numbers. This is the sort of trickery that you expect the mayor of some 50,000-person town to fall for. You don't expect the leadership of the wealthiest, most densely populated province in the country to get conned by such silly proposals.

I laughed when I read Gauteng Economic Development Agency spokesperson Barba Gaoganediwe's comparison to the 14-seater taxi. Half the taxis I've seen in SA carry far more people than the 14 seats allow. Maybe the Malaysians will hire some taxi drivers to for advice on how to cram 170 people into each monorail carriage. :lol:

I think GEDA have been scammed by a 419 fraudster. Usually most victims of 419 scams do not believe that it is not real until when they have been chopped as they call it in Nigeria. LOL :lol:

The monorail will be a grandiose scheme that added to the Gautrain would cost the city of Johannesburg more than R30 billion at a time when the existing commuter train network is falling apart and no new major motorways built in the last 25-years. It is ludicrous when they already have the Gautrain. If they want to do something for Soweto they could at least extend the Gautrain. Not have two networks to maintain! This is insanity.

Who is going to pay for all of this? This is a recipe for disaster and it will not be the first time in Africa that grandiose schemes like this one are built but add no value to the country's well being.

Instead of building this monorail they need to recapitalize the existing commuter train system and put more cops on it to make it safe. We need to get back to basics. What is the point of a white-elephant monorail that few people in Soweto can afford to use. Only a few ANC-linked people will profit from this.

I also agree that the Petronas-style towers are a pipe-dream! I also question the credibility of dodgy developers like this one that probably doesn't have a balance sheet.

I will be waiting patiently outside the MEC's office come 1st of October 2007 to see pictures of the sod turning ceremony. :ohno:

In Sim City 4 Rush Hour Expansion there are cheats you can use to give yourself as much money as you want, after which you can build monorails and 64-floor highrises until they're coming out of your ears....

This fella is clearly playing way too much Sim City. I think GEDA is too.

For perspective. The Spinnaker's initial cost calculations were R350m. With rising construction costs, i'm sure it has risen. Anyone trying to build the spinnaker now would be looking at at least R450m, and in 2 years time R550m-600m. And its only 29F... these guys seem to have no clue.

I agree. I do not think it will get built for less than R3 billion.

So these naf's still think they gonna build a mono rail?

rubber wheels, basically its a truck and bus ststeym on a nice cocrete track, the idea with rail is that there is less friction with steel on steel and hense the abilty to acheive good cost vs investments

Read in the citizen today that Newcyc's CEO said that his company will give all the taxi operaters on the monorail route free recapitilzed taxi's and buses, all at his companies own expense.. Who does this dude and his company think they are?? Some extreme pseudo-government, Soweto charity organisation?? This companies business plan just rises higher and higher into the sky

This is seriously messed up!

he's going to give out new taxi's at R150k each? ties that by the 60 000 or so there and his company would have to pay out R9 billion just to buy them all taxi's!!!!

LOL They have made my day

LOL, even the Minister of Transport is in the dark about this project. :lol:
Good for him to have distanced himself from this, because i think some heads will roll about this.


Radebe ‘in the dark’ over Monorail

http://www.citizen.co.za/index/article.aspx?pDesc=39536,1,22

PARLIAMENT – Transport Minister Jeff Radebe says he is “in the dark” about a proposed R12 billion monorail between Soweto and Johannesburg, and the first he knew about the project was when he read about it in the media. The Gauteng provincial government did not “consult, discuss or seek our approval” for the project, he told Parliament’s transport portfolio committee on Wednesday. Referring to a media conference last week, called by the province, Radebe said this had indicated the project was approved by Gauteng province through a memorandum of understanding, that a feasibility study had been concluded, and the project would start in September this year. “The project was said to be led by a Malaysian consortium (Newcyc Vision) and was a private sector investment of about R12 billion.”

Radebe said his department had subsequently been “inundated” with inquiries about the monorail. “I want to state quite categorically that I did not know anything about this proposal until it was announced in the media. Furthermore, my director-general was also not aware of this project.” Radebe said the project proposal disregarded the Cabinet-approved National Rail Plan. “As recent as... May 7, I met (Johannesburg) Mayor Amos Masondo and members of the mayoral council... to discuss in detail public transport. Throughout our meeting, the monorail proposal was not discussed,” he said. Rail projects were defined by legislation as a national competence. “Proposals for rail are made through the Municipal Integrated Transport Plan to the national minister of transport.” Radebe said it was not clear “what particular process” had been followed to secure the contract for the monorail. “I'm as in the dark as you are at the moment,” he told the committee.

- Sapa.

But ask your self this question, when is Mr Radebe not in the dark :crazy:

left hand right hand

But ask your self this question, when is Mr Radebe not in the dark


Well cut him some slack.. he is, after all, in charge of TWO ministeries (health and transport), both having very important portfolios!

Such a pity Mbeki didn't put Routledge-Modise in charge of health. Things would be solved chop-chop me thinks.

Newcyc or whatever just promised to make known within a few days all of the tricks they will use to make this work... Apparently they are only looking to move 600 000, the 1,5million was an estimate of how many will eventually need transport. Even with "only" 600 000 commuters it will still be humungous! One car with 100 people leaving every 4 seconds. crazy crazy crazy

LOL They have made my day

I agree dude, this is such a cheap thrill!! :lol:

^^ The article.... tra la la. Agree with ya'll.. it's funny ass.

Monorail: 'All shall be revealed'

May 24 2007 at 04:59AM

By Alex Eliseev

The international consortium behind the R12-billion Johannesburg/Soweto monorail project has undertaken to reveal all its "juicy" secrets in 30 days.

Jeyakumar Varathan, who heads Newcyc, has vowed to divulge local partners, companies making up the international group and other mega developments planned in Johannesburg by the investors.

Commercial hubs, shopping and sports nodes, housing and factories along the monorail route are likely to dwarf the monorail cost-wise. Experts have dubbed the project "the best-kept secret of all time", following its recent surprise launch. The project has raised scepticism about its bold promises and the consultation process.

Experts have crunched figures and concluded that there is no chance of it getting proper authorisation in time or carrying the number of passengers it proposes - a "pie-in-the-sky" which would disturb current transport strategies in the province.

But from his plush office in Sandton, Varathan claimed the figure of transporting 1,5-million people each day had been reported incorrectly.

The figure, he said, referred to the number of people - according to studies - currently in need of reliable transport. Initially, the monorail would aim to move about 600 000 people a day and, over the years (five to 10 years), would grow to meet the 1,5-million mark.

"It's a slow process and these are estimates," Varathan said, "but we're confident we can do it."

So who exactly is Newcyc Infra-Projects? Varathan won't say. He fears that revealing the companies and countries making up the foreign group would shift the focus away from the local partners. "In 30 days we are going to announce the whole consortium. We are a very big family from different countries."

What is known is that Malaysia, one of the main countries involved, has in the past launched major projects in Joburg that never materialised.

As for the project's secrecy, Varathan claims this was done to allow all details to be finalised. Varathan has been in the country for 15 months, and the monorail launch was a way to "open the doors" for local investors. But to critics, the secrecy smacks of a deal which wasn't properly thought out.

Varathan also assured that not a cent of taxpayers' money will go into the monorail project - not now and not while it's operating.

He is also adamant - despite Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe denying any knowledge of the project - that all the necessary tiers of the government, as well as taxi associations, were consulted.

"The taxis are my brothers," Varathan claimed. "We met in February and we offered them a cut into the consortium."

He hoped negotiations with the taxi associations would be completed by next week. He said they could play a big role along feeder routes, bringing people to and from the stations.

Regarding the feasibility study, Varathan said his team carried one out during the time they have been here.

The study was based on the government's GTS 2000 report and the Integrated Transport Study (2003). It found, according to Varathan, that 2,2-million people in the Soweto region will require transport (of any kind) by the time the monorail is running.

They estimate that, to start with, 30 percent (600 000) would make use of the monorail.

The study (which is a "private document") concluded the first phase of the investment, while the second - a detailed project report - has now commenced.

This report will finalise the technical details, such as how many carriages will be used along the lines and the switches. A total of 39 stations have been proposed.

Varathan said the environmental impact assessment study is under way.

Gotta love this whole sagga:lol:

South Africa: Radebe Derails Gauteng's Monorail
Business Day (Johannesburg)

24 May 2007
Posted to the web 24 May 2007

Linda Ensor And Chantelle Benjamin
Cape Town

A furious row has erupted over plans for a R12bn monorail to Soweto, with Transport Minister Jeff Radebe giving a resounding "no" to Gauteng's plans yesterday, prompting the provincial government to call for an urgent meeting with him.

Transport portfolio committee chairman Jeremy Cronin, an opponent of the R20bn Gautrain project, also entered the fray yesterday, warning that the government needed to be wary of international operators who might take advantage of the 2010 Soccer World Cup and come up with schemes that would cost consumers dearly and undermine national transport plans.
Africa 2007

Cronin said he was also concerned that the Malaysian consortium that won the Soweto monorail bid, Newcyc Vision, was linked to a company, KL Infrastructure Group, that had been declared bankrupt, leaving several projects in Malaysia unfinished.

An angry Radebe told Parliament's portfolio committee yesterday that the monorail project would not go ahead. He insisted that only cabinet and ministerially approved transport plans would proceed.

Rail was a national competence in terms of the National Land Transport Transition Act and the monorail would therefore need to be approved by Radebe.

Radebe said Gauteng finance and economic affairs MEC Paul Mashatile was not entitled to launch the project as he did publicly on May 17.

Radebe said he had not known anything about the proposal until it was announced in the media, although he was aware that, in the early stages of the proposal, the Malaysian consortium had met transport director Ibrahim Seedat, who referred them to the province and municipality.

At the launch last week, Mashatile attributed the apparent secrecy around the project to the fact that it was a private venture and did not involve public money.

"(The secrecy) was to prevent escalation of prices of, among other things, land alongside the monorail," he said.

The treasury appeared to share his perception of the situation, with spokeswoman Thoraya Pandy telling Business Day that it did not believe there was any necessity for the Gauteng government to inform it about the project.

"The national treasury was not approached for funding and for guarantees; we do not, as the national treasury, have to be approached for all the projects that the different government departments undertake."

It also emerged soon after the project launch last week that Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo and mayoral committee member for transport Rehana Moosajee were also taken by surprise by the announcement.

According to a senior official, the two had been approached by the province and the consortium a few months previously but were reportedly expecting the consortium to make a presentation to the city council, so the matter could be discussed further.

"Cabinet has already approved a national rail plan which consolidated regional plans, including for the Gauteng/Soweto region, none of which included a proposal for a monorail," Radebe said.

Furthermore, Radebe said, President Thabo Mbeki announced in February that the government intended to adopt bus rapid transit systems.

Radebe said the main corridor for the bus rapid transport system in Gauteng would be from Lenasia to Soweto to Parktown -- the same area for which the monorail was now proposed.

The Soweto Express, an eight-coach luxury train travelling between Johannesburg and Soweto, will be launched in mid-June, Metrorail regional manager Salani Sithole told Engineering News Online on Thursday.

The R2,2-million train was scheduled for launch in April, but “budgeting issues" had caused delays, Sithole said.

The South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC), which operates Metrorail, had had to approve the Soweto Express budget.

“Last week the board approved the capital project and business plan. SARCC has also approved the operational and maintenance budget.”

Minor changes to the coaches, including conversion to WiFi, would be completed by next week.

The 530-seater train is the first of three proposed such ventures and is targeted at satisfying the demands of middle-class travellers to Johannesburg, who often have to cough up between R400 and R500 for parking bays.

The Soweto Express, which would cost around R300 a month to ride, will begin its route at Naledi station, with stops at Ikhwezi and Dube stations in Soweto, before reaching the Johannesburg CBD.

The train would be staffed by uniformed attendants, who would serve drinks and provide free newspapers to commuters.

Sithole also said that the Soweto Express would be used as a yardstick for a similar express running from Johannesburg to Pretoria.

The Johannesburg-Pretoria express was expected to be launched by October/November.

Earlier Sithole said that a second train would be launched along the same route, but travelling at a later time.

While the Soweto Express was scheduled to arrive at Park station at 7:15, the second train would reach the city at 8:30.

In fact, depending on the viability of the Soweto Express, Metrorail was looking to launch a similar train for the lower end of the market.

“There has been great interest in trains for the lower end of the market,” Sithole said in an earlier interview.

The Soweto Express comes at a time when public transport is under the spotlight, with much controversy surrounding a R12-billion monorail also scheduled to transport passengers from Soweto to the City.

Plans for the monorail were unveiled last week by the Gauteng Provincial government, but the national government has since signalled that it had no knowledge of the project.

The Gauteng provincial government subsequently requested an "urgent" meeting with national government to discuss the matter.

Meanwhile, Sithole said that Metrorail had not yet been consulted on the monorail project, but said that, should the feasibility study reveal that the monorail alignment would impact on Metrorail or cross over its lines, then Metrorail would be contacted.

It is anticipated that Soweto Express commuters would be able to link to the R27-billion Gautrain rapid rail link at Park station, once the Gautrain, which will link Johannesburg, OR Tambo international and Pretoria, is operational.

South Africa is effective today due to the white man presence there!

A furious row has erupted over plans for a R12bn monorail to Soweto, with Transport Minister Jeff Radebe giving a resounding "no" to Gauteng's plans yesterday, prompting the provincial government to call for an urgent meeting with him.


He must be pretty pissed. Mashitile has got some answering to do I think. He definitely should not have given his support to the venture without the approval of national government, as well as without consultation with vital parties.


The Soweto Express, an eight-coach luxury train travelling between Johannesburg and Soweto, will be launched in mid-June, Metrorail regional manager Salani Sithole told Engineering News Online on Thursday.


Good stuff! Although they need to overhaul the entire system. Did anyone watch Carte Blanche on Sunday night? With the news about 'Train Surfing?'

http://www.carteblanche.co.za/Display/Display.asp?Id=3315

It was truly horific, and something that we seriously cannot have taking place during the World Cup. What we also can't have is the violence on trains that we see - exemplified in Tsotsi with the old man being murdered amongst all these people.

GEDA, instead of spending all this money on this monorail, should pump their investments into Metrorail.

hahaha lol

this sounds like gareth cliffs soapie hehe

America has Bush
we have these transport people

Monorail suggestions 'Mickey Mouse'

May 24 2007 at 06:24PM

The feasibility study for a proposed R12-billion monorail between Soweto and central Johannesburg was "Mickey Mouse," the chairperson of parliament's standing committee on transport, Jeremy Cronin, said on Thursday.

Cronin, who was addressing the National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM) central committee meeting in Pretoria, was asked at a press conference afterwards about the committee's view on the monorail.

"On the face of what we got it's not only the process that is poor... it is an unsolicited bid by a Malaysian operator (Newcyc Vision). It seems the feasibility studies were done by the unsolicited bidder itself," Cronin said.

Last week Gauteng finance MEC Paul Mashatile announced the plan for a monorail service between Soweto and central Johannesburg.

According to the figures given at this press conference, the monorail would carry an estimated 1,5 million passengers daily.

"But where are the 1,5 million people? Official statistics for Soweto's population is one million. I'm sure they are underestimates but according to national household survey 1,5 million people commute daily in the entire Gauteng, so it does not make sense, which again suggests it was very, very Mickey Mouse," Cronin said.

He added that worldwide experience have shown that monorails are not suitable as mass transit systems unless they are much more sophisticated and expensive that the one being planned in Gauteng.

"Monorails basically are used in theme parks like Disneyland they are not mass transit systems," Cronin said.

He urged Transport Minister Jeff Radebe to consider not only the procedural problems facing the project, but also its feasibility. - Sapa

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=79&art_id=nw20070524171736243C155998

America has Bush we have these transport people

One key difference, though: Our federal constitution means the US arerid of Bush in just under two years. But as long as the ANC leadership are willing to tolerate them, these GP transport okes can stay on forever - which might be long enough to see this monorail project through to completion. :lol:

Monorail: Gauteng government wants answers

May 24 2007 at 08:46PM

The Gauteng provincial government on Thursday said it was waiting for an urgent meeting with national government on the province's planned R12-billion monorail linking Johannesburg and Soweto, while criticism of the project grew.

"The MEC is awaiting a response from the minister," said spokesperson Alfred Nhlapo on behalf of Gauteng MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Works, Ignatius Jacobs.

On Wednesday, Jacobs hurriedly asked for an "urgent" meeting with Transport Minister Jeff Radebe on the monorail proposal, after Radebe caused a stir in parliament when he said the first he knew of the plan was when it was announced by the Gauteng government on May 16.

Nhlapo would not comment further but said the public would be informed of the outcome of the meeting.

'From planning to construction, we have to get involved'
On Thursday, the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) and the South African Rail Commuter Corp-Metrorail (SARCC) both denied any knowledge of the project.

Railways are legally required to be licenced by the RSR, while the SARCC is the only legally-appointed body for running all passenger commuter railways or contracting others to do this.

"Anybody who wants to operate a railway service can only do so after getting a licence from us," said RSR spokesperson Lawrence Venkile.

"From planning to construction, we have to get involved."

Venkile said the first the RSR knew of the project was when it was unveiled to the media.

"Even since then we have not had any communication from them.

"We have not had any contact with the province or with anyone else on this."

SARCC spokesperson Pule Mabe said the SARCC was not involved.

"We did not appoint the monorail."

The SARCC supported Radebe's position and called the monorail an inappropriate transport and technological solution for the route.

"SARCC feels strongly that the monorail announcement by the Gauteng province not only does not meet the requirements of the Legal Succession Act, but it does not stand the technical evaluation from the point of view of operating, engineering and financial requirements as well as transport demand challenges," said Mabe.

He said SARCC was keen to have constructive discussions with the monorail sponsors.

The monorail is a private sector initiative run by a Malaysian investment consortium, Newcyc Vision. It envisages 44,7km of rail and 39 stations, linking Soweto and Johannesburg, and is due to be finished in two years.

When it was announced, the Gauteng government said Jacobs, Finance and Economic Affairs MEC Paul Mashatile, and Gauteng Economic Development Agency CEO Keith Khoza had signed the deal with Newcyc.

Radebe told parliament that rail was a national competence, with proposals made through the Municipal Integrated Transport Plan to the minister.

He pointed out the potential overlap with Johannesburg City's Bus Rapid Transit System, planned for the same route.

On Thursday, more critics raised their voices against the monorail.

Chairperson of parliament's standing committee on transport, Jeremy Cronin, said the feasibility study was "Mickey Mouse", queried the potential number of passengers, and criticised it as an unsolicited bid.

Spokesperson for MEC Mashatile, Percy Mthimkulu, said the feasibility study had been carried out by the investor Newcyc.

The SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) said it was "appalled" at the secrecy involved.

"The worst is that the best defence that the province could come up with was that the secrecy was necessary 'because we were dealing with private investors'," said Satawu general secretary Randall Howard.

He said Metrorail was desperately in need of investment, with the R5bn planned "far short" of what was needed.

Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesperson Patrick Craven said public transport should be planned in an "integrated fashion" and called for the province to pull out of the agreement.

"Cosatu further calls for a thorough investigation into the Gauteng MEC for transport and his officials, to establish what, if anything, was in the monorail project for them and their families.

"One cannot imagine they would just ignore proper procedures, refuse to consult national and local government, or alliance formations, if there was nothing in it for themselves," said Craven. - Sapa

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20070524203616175C173300

Anybody got comments from the malyasian dudes after the government came into the scene?

I can't find any articles with reaction from the Malaysians. But when they finally respond to the central govm't, they'll probably promise to build the ANC a 70-storey HQ and a private monorail link from it to the Union Buildings. 'All for just R1bn! But call now and Newcyc will include an extra monorail absolutely free! That's right, a stunning R15bn value, yours for just R1bn!' :banana:

I can't find any articles with reaction from the Malaysians. But when they finally respond to the central govm't, they'll probably promise to build the ANC a 70-storey HQ and a private monorail link from it to the Union Buildings. 'All for just R1bn! But call now and Newcyc will include an extra monorail absolutely free! That's right, a stunning R15bn value, yours for just R1bn!' :banana:

Yeah, this Malaysians are masters of comedy i'm tell you. While you are pointing out how unsustainable this whole idea may be and how they are going to handle the Taxi drivers, they responding by promising to throw even more money in addition to the R12 billion that's already got a lot of eyes rolling. So i am sure a deal will be struck with Radebe so lets wait and see. As for me, as long as they are going to bring this money, as i said, i am watching them closely. LOL :lol:

Makes me think of Zoolander.... "Kill the Malaysian Prime minister"


Honestly, if this were not such a complete and utter embarrasment for the gauteng authorities then it be such a good soapie. it would slip in well as a half time break between egoli and binnelanders.

Honestly how can the province accept an outsiders studies, not seak government approval, not inform the city concerned and not check the credibility of the company proposing the deal????????? And STILL make the project public! All this from south africa's "best" province?? embarrasment

I agree, Mike. When the project was first announced I, like everyone else, assumed it had gone through proper channels, hence our euphoria for JHB. Now the whole thing is an embarassing mess for the provincial officials.

I agree, Mike. When the project was first announced I, like everyone else, assumed it had gone through proper channels, hence our euphoria for JHB. Now the whole thing is an embarassing mess for the provincial officials.

I am glad, everyone else in National government, city, regulators and metro rail have publicly distanced themselves from this and made it a point that you don't come into SA and just think you can do things as you please without following through due process. Investors are welcome but projects like this have to follow the right processes to ensure that they benefit the country and not someone's pocket. We can not act like a Banana republic like most of states in Africa. Gauteng of all people should have known better.

Hey guys, the Soweto Monorail has found a surprise supporter in Freedom Front Plus!!!

FF+ welcomes Soweto monorail

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=309476

Johannesburg, South Africa

25 May 2007 12:41
The planned R12-billion monorail between Johannesburg and Soweto was a first step in addressing the daily traffic chaos on South African roads, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) said on Friday.

It was surprised that Transport Minister Jeff Radebe opposed the move, said FF+ transport spokesperson Corne Mulder.

"The current road infrastructure in South Africa is insufficient to deal with the annual increase in motor vehicles on our roads," he said.

"Daily, millions of working hours are lost because workers are caught up in traffic jams and peak hours in the mornings and evenings.

"Minister Radebe's focus should be on preventing the loss of working hours and accompanying economic losses. Rather than to side with taxi-operators who will no longer have a monopoly on transport between Soweto and Johannesburg, the minister should thoroughly investigate the option of a monorail and welcome it," Mulder said.

Radebe said earlier this week that the first he learned of the monorail was in the media.

Accusing the Gauteng government of not consulting, discussing or seeking the national transport department's approval for the project, Radebe said it went counter to the Cabinet-approved National Rail Plan.

The project has also met with the criticism of, among others, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Unions and taxi operators.

"We can no longer afford that the African National Congress's obsession with taxi-associations continues to impair further growth and modernisation of our economy," said Mulder.

"It is high time that South Africa builds monorails between the business centres and the big residential concentrations in all the large cities.

"Cape Town specifically should be next in line to get such a monorail," he said,

On May 16, Gauteng Finance and Economic Affairs minister Paul Mashatile and Public Transport Road and Works minister Ignatius Jacobs signed a deal with a Malaysian consortium to build the 44,7km monorail.

"By 2009, no one from Soweto should have to wait more than 15 minutes for transport," said Mashatile.

The FF+ called on Radebe to urgently look at other world cities where monorails had been built and were being successfully operated. - Sapa

Well, regardless of who supports it, its now a no-no...

--------------------------

Monorail put 'on hold'

May 25 2007 at 06:48PM

The building of a 44,7 kilometre monorail between Johannesburg and Soweto has been "put on hold", the transport ministry said on Friday.

It said while the monorail proposal could not be supported in its present form, the government was in principle not opposed to the concept of monorail.

The Gauteng project would be suspended pending "the necessary process, including consultation", said Transport Ministry spokesperson
Collen Msibi.

The decision followed a meeting earlier in the day between Transport Minister Jeff Radebe, Gauteng finance and economic affairs MEC Paul Mashatile and public transport, roads and works MEC Ignatius Jacobs.
'The discussions were both constructive and cordial'

On May 16, the two MEC's signed an agreement with a Malaysian consortium on construction of the monorail, claiming it would transport 1,5 million people a day and reduce their wait for transport to just 15 minutes.

However, the new transport proposal drew criticism from, among others, the Congress of SA Trade Unions, the SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union and taxi operators.

At the time of the announcement, Radebe said the first he had heard of the monorail was in the media.

He accused the Gauteng government of not consulting, discussing or seeking the national transport department's approval for the project, Radebe said it went counter to the Cabinet-approved national rail plan.

After Friday's meeting, he said proposals for monorail or any other public transport solution had to take into account approved plans to enhance the efficiency of the existing rail, bus and taxi operations within the public transport system.

Gauteng would have to review and develop a sound business case for the monorail proposal, which would then have to be more broadly consulted on with national, provincial and local government before being submitted to Radebe for his consideration.

It was agreed that all enquiries about the monorail be directed to Radebe.

Also present at Friday's meeting were Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo, mayoral committee transport representative Rehana Moosajee, Transport Department director-general Mpumi Mpofu and SA Rail Commuter Corporation chief executive officer, Lucky Montana.

"The discussions were both constructive and cordial," said Msibi.

"The meeting noted the public debate on the monorail and acknowledged that the process dealing with the monorail proposal should be open, transparent and in the interest of all."

He said that while the meeting highlighted the need for the government to evaluate private sector proposals, particularly unsolicited bids, and subject them to a "proper government process", it would continue to encourage foreign direct investment, particularly in infrastructure development. - Sapa

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=79&art_id=nw20070525184016273C610158

DA: Heads must roll over monorail mix-up

Johannesburg, South Africa

28 May 2007 11:18

Gauteng's provincial ministers for transport and finance should be fired for bungling the proposed monorail between Soweto and central Johannesburg, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province said on Monday.

"I first called on [Gauteng Premier Mbhazima] Shilowa to fire [provincial minister of finance Paul] Mashatile and [provincial minister of transport Ignatius] Jacobs in February this year. Their bungles and contempt for the public should be tolerated no longer. They must go," the DA's Jack Bloom said in a statement.

The R12-billion monorail project was put on hold after Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said he had not been informed about the project and only heard about it through the media.

"How could the national transport minister be kept totally in the dark when rail is a national competence and needs approval from the Railway Safety Regulator and the South African Rail Commuter Corporation?" Bloom asked.

He said the "fiasco demands" a response from Shilowa.

"He should fire [the two provincial ministers] who have let him down badly in disregarding the most basic consultation on a major project."

Bloom said foreign investment should be encouraged, but it was astounding that Mashatile could sign a deal with a "fishy" Malaysian company that still had to divulge its local and international partners.

"Is Mashatile really so naive, or are there other interests at stake?

"An inquiry is needed into who would gain from the proposed development corridor on the monorail route. I am very suspicious," he said.

The monorail -- to be built by the Malaysian investment consortium Newcyc Vision -- was announced earlier this month, and was hailed as a victory for commuters between Soweto and central Johannesburg.

However, it has also received the cold shoulder from the South African National Taxi Council, who said it should be kept off taxi routes.

Gauteng monorail project derails
The Transport Ministry said on Friday that the building of the 44,7km monorail between Johannesburg and Soweto has been "put on hold".

It said that while the monorail proposal cannot be supported in its present form, the government is in principle not opposed to the concept of a monorail.

The Gauteng project will be suspended pending "the necessary process, including consultation", said Transport Ministry spokesperson Collen Msibi.

The decision followed a meeting earlier on Friday between Radebe, Paul Mashatile and Jacobs.

On May 16, the two provincial ministers signed an agreement with the Malaysian consortium on construction of the monorail, claiming it would transport 1,5-million people a day and reduce their wait for transport to just 15 minutes.

However, the new transport proposal drew criticism from, among others, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union and taxi operators.

At the time of the announcement, Radebe said the first he had heard of the monorail was in the media. He accused the Gauteng government of not consulting, discussing or seeking the national Transport Department's approval for the project, adding it went against the Cabinet-approved national rail plan. -- Sapa

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=309658&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/

'Monorail could go ahead as planned if procedures are followed properly'lol
Engineeringnews
By: Nelendhre Moodley
Published: 28 May 07 - 10:06
Should the stakeholders in the disputed R12-billion monorail project follow the necessary consultation processes and submit a new, integrated business case to Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe, construction of the monorail could still start as scheduled, transport ministry spokesperson Collen Msibi told Engineering News Online on Monday.

At the unveiling of the monorail project earlier this month, Newcyc CE Jeyakumar Varathan said that construction would start in September.

Newcyc is the Malaysian group which signed an agreement with the Gauteng government to build and operate the controversial monorail.

Last week, Radebe hit out at the Gauteng provincial government for not consulting national government on the proposed monorail, and said that the project had not received all the necessary approvals.

In response to Radebe's remarks, MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Works Ignatius Jacobs requested an "urgent" meeting with the Minister on the matter. A meeting took place on Friday, where it was decided that the 44,7 km monorail would be “put on hold”, pending “the necessary process, including consultation”.

However, Msibi said that there were many variables that would have to be completed before the project could receive the go-ahead, including determining how the monorail route would fit into the Rea Vaya project, a bus rapid transit system that will run from Lenasia, Soweto to Park station.

Cast at some R2-billion, the Rea Vaya is a high-speed bus network, the first phase of which is expected to be operational by April 2009, in time to carry visitors to the 2010 soccer World Cup.

Monorail/Gautrain talks begin
05/06/2007 20:44
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Johannesburg - Talks about the proposed monorail being incorporated into the Gautrain project were underway, SABC news reported on Tuesday.

Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa said Transport Minister Jeff Radebe and MECs for transport and finance, Ignatius Jacobs and Paul Mashatile, were looking at ways of broadening the benefits of the proposed monorail.

Shilowa was quoted as saying he was confident the talks would yield positive results for commuters.

They were looking at the benefits of the monorail, not only for Soweto, but also for other areas in the province, he said.

It makes sense for the Monorail to be integrated and brought under the direction of Gautrain rather than be a standalone project.

It'd make even more sense to build a Park Station-Soweto route using Gautrain gauge track and rolling stock. Build it on elevated tracks if that's essential. But it makes more sense to utilise one type of technology across the region. Rolling stock can be shifted from line to line when needed, and maintenance tasks become standardised.

But the monorail technology always seems so sexy to people. The allure of a 'futuristic' transit mode is too appealing for some. Hell, it's so alluring to some people that there are those in Vancouver who refer to that city's SkyTrain as a monorail, even though it's not. (It's a normal mass transit rail system with an elevated track.)

"cape town waterfront greenpoint sea point gardens camps bay " monorail oh and signal hill

lol, lets give all the citys a monorail!

But it will definately be nice to see Durbs and CT getting the monorail. I wish that one city espeically a costal one can have trams.

But it will definately be nice to see Durbs and CT getting the monorail. I wish that one city espeically a costal one can have trams.

ala athens

I read in the Weekender that Jeff Radebe was in principle OK with the monorail, just that other factors (such as consultation and feasibility studies) are complied with. He even mooted the idea of adding other monorail routes, such as Thembisa - Kempton Park and Fourways - Joburg. Guess we'll just have to see what happens.

Monorail idea is ‘illogical’

by Thomas Hartleb

JOHANNESBURG – The proposed monorail link between Soweto and Johannesburg was “not logical” and needed a concrete submission, Transport director-general Mpumi Mpofu said on Tuesday.

“What has been in the Press doesn’t present itself as logical. We are not adverse to any innovative proposal but it needs to be dealt with properly,” she told the Africa Rail conference in Johannesburg.

Mpofu said she had yet to see a project proposal or a business case that would justify the investment.

For a monorail to be viable, it had to be integrated into existing infrastructure, be a mass mover, be car competitive and operate efficiently.

The issue of Johannesburg’s proposed monorail would be dealt with at national and not provincial level.

Mpofu expressed disbelief at accounts of what the system would reportedly be capable of.

“I still can’t fathom how a 44km monorail with 39 stops can transport 1.5 million people in half-an-hour. I still can’t work it out.”

She said the Gautrain had sparked similar proposals in metropolitan areas such as Cape Town and Durban.

“We need a framework in which these proposals can be dealt with and approved.”

Prior to her remarks on the monorail, Mpofu read out a speech on behalf of Transport Minister Jeff Radebe, which focused mainly on the country’s national rail infrastructure.

Investment was needed to upgrade the rail system, and to reverse the decrease in freight volumes, Radebe said.

The cost of doing business in South Africa was among the highest in the world.

Road freight had grown because rail had failed to keep up with new production techniques and failed to operate a predictable and efficient service.

“The level of bulk freight being moved on our roads is quite clearly unsustainable and costing billions,” Radebe said in the prepared speech.

In the Northern Cape, he said, road surfaces had been reduced by about 50 percent and had only five years worth of use left.

As part of efforts to encourage increased use of rail, policy directives were being finalised to ensure that certain hazardous materials and bulk goods would not be allowed on the country’s roads in future.

The government would not be able to provide the required levels of investment on its own, and partnerships between the private and public sectors needed to be explored, Radebe said.

Asked during question time what the policy on regional transportation was, Mpofu said the government would resist the temptation of playing “big brother”.

“It needs to be primarily for the benefit of those countries.” –Sapa

http://www.citizen.co.za/index/article.aspx?pDesc=42107,1,22

Sjoe, took them that long to figure this out?

I can't believe it took this long to pull the plug on a project that had shady backers with no track record of having built any monorail, anywhere.

(Original article found here (http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=nw20070808173438126C315242).)

Cabinet pulls the plug on Soweto Monorail

August 08 2007 at 05:43PM

Cabinet has effectively vetoed the Soweto Monorail Project, announced by the Gauteng government in May this year.

There were major shortcomings in the process leading to the announcement of the project, government spokesperson Themba Maseko told journalists in Pretoria and Cape Town on Wednesday following Cabinet's fortnightly meeting.

These included lack of consultation with key stakeholders, such as the minister of transport, the City of Johannesburg, the taxi industry and the SA Rail Commuter Corporation, and the fact that no thorough financial viability study was conducted, he said.

Cabinet repeated that all commuter rail proposals from all spheres of government, including private sector initiatives, had to be subjected to the Multi-Criteria Matrix Appraisal Framework contained in the Consolidated Passenger Rail Plan approved by Cabinet last year.

Ministerial approval also had to be obtained prior to finalisation and announcements.

"Because of these considerations, Cabinet decided that the Soweto Monorail Project will not proceed at this stage.

"The Gauteng provincial government has been advised accordingly," Maseko said. - Sapa

Sjoe, took them that long to figure this out?

I wouldn't really give squat about cabinet only deciding on it now, because it really didn't deserve to be on top of their priority list, especially since Jeff Radebe already gave it to them in black and white. I hope it sets a precedence to other 419 scammers who think they can come and scam South Africans.

I still have this gut feeling that something was not adding up with these guys. I still think these guys were scammers who were hoping to convince government to sanction this and then go and rob banks of billions of dollars in debt to do this and bail out with their piece of the cake. They wanted to cash in on the World Cup 2010. :lol:

It is a shame this monorail project got cancelled.

It is a shame this monorail project got cancelled.

It is the same.

^^What do you mean by that?

^^What do you mean by that?

I mean its the same one that is being cancelled.

Now I too am confused lol?

Theres 2 monorails ? :crazy:

Won't that make it a duorail then? x______X

eish we've gone from a canned project to a duorail. nice one ;)

lmao

Is this thing off the ground? Theyre gonna need a rail connection to Soccer City, if there isnt one already.

nope it was a fallacy/fantasy in someone's head

and you're right, there should be a rail connection to Soccer City. At least a light rail that is clean simple and efficient from Park Station. no need for anything fancy.

nope it was a fallacy/fantasy in someone's head

and you're right, there should be a rail connection to Soccer City. At least a light rail that is clean simple and efficient from Park Station. no need for anything fancy.

There is a rail link to Nasrec but I cannot confirm as to were does it link with the line to the city, the only problem with this is that its a single lane and if left like that it will create problems during the world cup.


The rail station at Nasrec will be revamped before the 2010 SWC. With Nasrec Station located between Nasrec and FNB Stadium I think the line should be doubled because Nasrec frequently hosts events and with the SARCC focus that will be a must do.