grok
Honorary Master
I'd be scared of travelling in buses at the speeds the Guatrain gets up to, especially in traffic
Gautrain sans cables goes at approximately 0 km/h. Even walking beats that!
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Gautrain hit by cable theft, leaks
- Thread starter Mila
- Start date
Gautrain sans cables goes at approximately 0 km/h. Even walking beats that!
HavocXphere
Honorary Master
Told you so. I said its a problem 2 months ago:
They've got cameras at the ATM bombing sites too. Makes zero difference. With balaclavas they all look the same & police isn't really up to the job of catching them anyway.
I know a company that tried the concrete block thing. Doesn't work. They pull the cable out till the block w/ bakkies and then cut it off there. And encasing miles of cable in concrete all the way isn't cost effective.
That would solve the problem. But then we have to deal with a pile of electrocution incidents.
Sure, because video surveillance works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ2d7Y1O4-U
BBSA
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Twitter users suggest ways to stop Gautrain cable theft
One user, @mtyala, asked: "Is there nothing we can do about cable theft? What happened this morning is too embarrassing."
And while many people around Gauteng - and the Gautrain operators themselves - were wondering the same thing, some Tweeters offered some advice on how the issue should be combated.
One user, @pfangirl, tweeted: "Time to start booby trapping the Gautrain line, me thinks. Hard to steal when landmines have taken off your legs and hands."
@TheRealGroome also had advice to offer the makers of the Gautrain: "I knew we should've made the Gautrain run on bluetooth!"
On a more serious note, @Mabine_Seabe tweeted: "The Gautrain is a great transport project but I think the metro rail system should have been upgraded and expanded instead."
@king2m thought it best to stop the bus services in the meantime, tweeting: "Gautrain is in crisis and they r busy wasting diesel on empty buses which are floating around Gauteng."
User @ArtwellDlamini suggested security be tightened: "Gautrain could improve security. The task is daunting: Gautrain rail network covers 80km area."
@jedimastersa believed the makers of the train should have planned the project better: "Surely things like cable theft were thought of before the project started?"
Another user, @Real_Thato, reckoned that the cables needed to be moved: "When u put cables in public what do u expect? Ans : Izinyoka @gautrain, put those cables underground this is Mzansi." 'Izinyoka' is a Zulu word for snakes and has been used in public service announcements to refer to cable thieves.
Most users lamented the thefts and their implications.
Tweeted @GlennEkron23: "Gautrain although good in theory is pretty useless if not running. Ppl will quickly lose trust in the service."
@Mlindos85 agreed, tweeting: "Gautrain is followed by scandals after scandals..."
@mjubes tweeted: "All we hear about Gautrain is no buses, trains, water leaks, cable theft, boy's head slam. After billions spent why cant they get it right?"
A user named @MizzBho tweeted: "As a nation we still have a long way to go if wonderful things like the Gautrain are gonna be disturbed by something as lame as cable theft"
@maddog_sa shared the same sentiment, tweeting: "It's a sad indictment of society, when a project this important to the SA economy is crippled by economic terrorism!"
Other users were despondent about the service.
@JoziGoddess tweeted: "I'm starting to think that Gautrain is Putco in drag!"
@The_Pofmuis: "I'm starting to think the Gautrain is a prototype, its not actually supposed to work... Not designed to last!" while @Onke_ agreed, tweeting: "This Gautrain is doomed I tell you...doomed!"
Cable thieves weren't a very popular bunch, with many users condemning their actions.
@ClaudesixL tweeted: "Gautrain cables stolen?!!?! South Africans might as well resort to using donkeys as transport!", while @SiyandaN tweeted: "World class transport but still the same izinyoka, these guys need to get jobs."
@ThabisoSithole tweeted: "So, the Gautrain is once again stopped by some idiots who stole cables from the tracks. Not sure what we South Africans want sometimes."
One user, @mtyala, asked: "Is there nothing we can do about cable theft? What happened this morning is too embarrassing."
And while many people around Gauteng - and the Gautrain operators themselves - were wondering the same thing, some Tweeters offered some advice on how the issue should be combated.
One user, @pfangirl, tweeted: "Time to start booby trapping the Gautrain line, me thinks. Hard to steal when landmines have taken off your legs and hands."
@TheRealGroome also had advice to offer the makers of the Gautrain: "I knew we should've made the Gautrain run on bluetooth!"
On a more serious note, @Mabine_Seabe tweeted: "The Gautrain is a great transport project but I think the metro rail system should have been upgraded and expanded instead."
@king2m thought it best to stop the bus services in the meantime, tweeting: "Gautrain is in crisis and they r busy wasting diesel on empty buses which are floating around Gauteng."
User @ArtwellDlamini suggested security be tightened: "Gautrain could improve security. The task is daunting: Gautrain rail network covers 80km area."
@jedimastersa believed the makers of the train should have planned the project better: "Surely things like cable theft were thought of before the project started?"
Another user, @Real_Thato, reckoned that the cables needed to be moved: "When u put cables in public what do u expect? Ans : Izinyoka @gautrain, put those cables underground this is Mzansi." 'Izinyoka' is a Zulu word for snakes and has been used in public service announcements to refer to cable thieves.
Most users lamented the thefts and their implications.
Tweeted @GlennEkron23: "Gautrain although good in theory is pretty useless if not running. Ppl will quickly lose trust in the service."
@Mlindos85 agreed, tweeting: "Gautrain is followed by scandals after scandals..."
@mjubes tweeted: "All we hear about Gautrain is no buses, trains, water leaks, cable theft, boy's head slam. After billions spent why cant they get it right?"
A user named @MizzBho tweeted: "As a nation we still have a long way to go if wonderful things like the Gautrain are gonna be disturbed by something as lame as cable theft"
@maddog_sa shared the same sentiment, tweeting: "It's a sad indictment of society, when a project this important to the SA economy is crippled by economic terrorism!"
Other users were despondent about the service.
@JoziGoddess tweeted: "I'm starting to think that Gautrain is Putco in drag!"
@The_Pofmuis: "I'm starting to think the Gautrain is a prototype, its not actually supposed to work... Not designed to last!" while @Onke_ agreed, tweeting: "This Gautrain is doomed I tell you...doomed!"
Cable thieves weren't a very popular bunch, with many users condemning their actions.
@ClaudesixL tweeted: "Gautrain cables stolen?!!?! South Africans might as well resort to using donkeys as transport!", while @SiyandaN tweeted: "World class transport but still the same izinyoka, these guys need to get jobs."
@ThabisoSithole tweeted: "So, the Gautrain is once again stopped by some idiots who stole cables from the tracks. Not sure what we South Africans want sometimes."
Flanders
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I was just going to say that the people with concerns about this sort of thing, when expressing these concerns, say, a year ago during the world cup frenzy, were crucified for it and called all the usual names under the sun when it comes to such matters. Seems those darn Afro-pessimists have once again been revealed as Afro-realists. Shocking revelation! And that's why we can't have nice things!
Anyway, there's hope yet - I hear the gravy train is very much operational. All aboard!
First it was man hole covers, telephone cable, water pipes, robots & now power cables! It's high time Guvamunt address the crime situation in SA. Stiffer sentences for those driving the country to its knees via theft!
BobsLawnService
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This is why you can't have nice things in Africa.
Jola
Honorary Master
The only efficient train in South Africa !
McSack
Executive Member
Seems the train was down again today 
.
I was seriously considering using it when the last stretch from Rosebank to Park is eventually opened, but between cable theft, breakdowns and strikes by bus drivers I think I'll rather ride my bike
. I was seriously considering using it when the last stretch from Rosebank to Park is eventually opened, but between cable theft, breakdowns and strikes by bus drivers I think I'll rather ride my bike
LazyLion
King of de Jungle
Agreed, business people cannot rely on such an erratic service.
dlk001
Executive Member
The guavament told them the acid mine drainage would have been solved by now. The water tables are full and this is not even rain season. This is also the reason for the delay in the other link.
Why did they not put a stop in Midrand?
Technically, water table does not get full but it rises
. Also, the ground above the water table can still remain saturated even during seasons with no rain. This often happens with clayey residual soils. The one problem with water delays might be the difference between the predicted groundwater seepage model and the actual seepage which is being seen now. This has a cost implication in terms of additional work that is needed to reduce permeability of the rockmass around the tunnel. This might mean injecting grout material into the rockmass surrounding the tunnelto minimize water ingress into the tunnel. Or, they might have to pump more water than originally anticipated which is another cost.
I heard that another issue with water delays is the pumping of the Excess water, additional environmental studiesand resubmission of legislative documents.
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