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CB Bus and Rail Prasa / Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa Total Lack Of Service Delivery & Total Disregard Of It's Customers Grieviences.
Prasa / Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa

Prasa / Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa review: Total Lack Of Service Delivery & Total Disregard Of It's Customers Grieviences. 29

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Author of the review
11:16 am EST
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This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

I live in Daveyton, on the East Rand (Ekurhuleni) & I'm definitely fed up with the way Metrorail treats it's customers or commuters if I may say so.

I normally catch train 8816, from Daveyton to Joburg every morning at 05H50, but for the past three weeks the train that I normally use in the mornings hasn't shown up & to make matters worse no one seems to care about coz when you go to the ticket offices at the station to find out the cause for that, no one seems to know what's happening. Their explanation is that the comes Braamfontein & they don't know anything about what's going on. If you miss the 05H50 train you have wait for the 06H05.

That is not a problem coz the difference is only 15 minutes, that one doesn't take you to Joburg. It takes you to Dunswart, which is six stations away from Daveyton & we have another 17 staions to Joburg. It dumps us there & we have to wait for a train from Springs to Joburg 25 to 50 minutes & sometimes more than that coz at times doesn't show & as usual there's never an explanation.

For some of us it's difficult to take a taxi to Joburg coz I use 3 modes of transport to get to work, which is Joburg. From home I take a taxi to the sattion, from there I catch a train & from Joburg central I take a bus. I feel that this is unfair coz this is definitely a daylight robbery. First of all these people take our hard earned money in advance, before we even get any service & in return they don't even give us the service that they are supposed to provide to us. You don't even get a refund & you are expected to find alternative transport, which by the way you have to fund it from your own pocket. Last week my girlfriend called their customer care number & she spoke to one lady there who arrogantly told her that, "Your complaint is no use, coz it's just you". The next day we requested petition forms from their offices, we two forms which everyone was happy to put their signatures as a sign of action towards their unacceptable service, but now two weeks later nothing has happened. What are my rights in this regard coz I want to take action? Daveyton has been getting a crappy service lately when it comes to trains service.

29 comments
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M.G Khoza
ZA
May 28, 2011 12:08 pm EDT
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prasa a joke to the commuters keep your job guys and let us loose ours because of getting let everyday thanks for nothing, nothing but a disgrace thanks prasa especialy naledi

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Komane K. Tladi
ZA
Jun 03, 2011 11:59 am EDT

I agree with Mahlakoana that Metrorail/PRASA does not give a flying hoot about its commuters. As long as we give our money away to them, they are satisfied. It is as if we are being made to pay for the sins of those members of society who are so stingy and ignorant that they commute without ever having purchased tickets...EVER!
My complaint is that whenever something happens, we as patrons are not duly informed. When still perched at the larger train stations such as Pretoria Bosman station, Kaalfontein or Johannesburg Parkstation, waiting for your ride to (hopefuly) pitch, consider yourself lucky as there, intercoms do 'exist.' If you find yourself stuck at the more smaller, transition stations then consider yourself doomed as there is no way of you getting any communication from anyone from the company.

I have suggestion, use it or don't use it, its up to you Metrorail. The installation of intercoms in the passenger coaches to allow drivers to communicate messages to commuters while in transit. Look, the aim of waiting at a train station is to catch a train which will transport you to your destination. You are not there to sit and wait for intercom messages. I have sat and waited on trains many a times not knowing what our fate is. This morning I sat on a stationary train travelling from Pretoria to Johannesburg for over twenty minutes thinking it will start moving soon. After losing my patience and eventually joining the other passengers (or should I say padestrians as we now were no longer on the train) and walking from Olifantsfontein to Oakmoor, I realised that the wait could have been avoided simply by having the driver inform everyon that there was another train stuck in front of us on the same line. I got to work two hours late today all because of a situation that could have been avoided through proper communication.

I will be posting more comments and complaints over time. Please look forwards to hearing from me very soon.

Komane K. Tladi

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mr monthosi
ZA
Mar 19, 2014 2:52 am EDT

Tickets examiner at khwezi station (SOWETO) have no respect at all, They treated me badly not ones but twice.Somethings need to be done, u cant work with attitude specially when you work with people metrorail/prasa is not yours. I'm very disappointed

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richarddonson
ZA
Jan 03, 2015 12:35 am EST

I am very disapointed in prasa I board a ticked on the 31st of dec from beaufort west to cape town the trein arrive in beaufort at time but there was no place for us on the trein they say iets full and we can't even get our money back what I I to do now I must be in my work wat now if u gays can't run this thing give it back to transnet or someone who can run it

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clarah
ZA
Sep 27, 2015 3:34 am EDT

I am Clarah from kwa mashu durban an am working to tongaat clinic as the security office on26/09/15 it was 17:50 I have the accident with the train the train was coming from stranger to durban an when it arrive to caneland station the driver of the train didn't open the doors an I force my self to move from the coach tht I was in to anther one an when am trying to get out the train starting to move an I fall out an I have injuries. an those drivers didn't care even if the people were shouting for them to open the doors after some minute they relise the door but for me I was down tht time. am not happy about ur service

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Millicent Ochs
US
May 01, 2016 12:01 pm EDT

I'm on my way to work..I get off at century city..forgetting it's the 1st of May..theres guards.I show my ticket she say it's April's I say sorry..look in my bag and see I have no money I ask my friend if she have for me she says no..I tell the lady I have no money she say I can't go through(I know she was doing her job but no need for her to be rude).I buy a monthly every month..I tell but I don't have money she tell me I must take a train back..I find aR5 in my bag and my friend add on to it..I bought a single I ask the guy standing there what the lady name is he ask me why I want to know..I left..when the trains was cancelled and delay and there was no trains running we had to take taxis we couldn't use our train tickets to pay for the taxi...we had to make use of taxis when we had train tickets and Metrorailworkers was striking now they want to stand on station are they making up for when they were striking!?.bad service..

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Sonto Ekoh
US
May 05, 2016 1:01 am EDT

My name is Emily and I've been using train as my transport for years, irrespective of the terrible service we getting from prasa. I was using a 6:15 train from JHB to Daveyton which is changed now to 6:50 which is making everyone late and the worse part is that when it reach Dunswart the drive takes plus minus 10 minutes and when it reach my destination Northmead is already 7:50 and that's the time most of us supposed to be at work and ready to clock in. MY PROBLEM IS THAT THEY CHANGE TIMES WITHOUT CONSULTING PASSENGER AND THE HUGE PROBLEM IS THAT THAT'S THE FIRST TRAIN FROM JHB TO DAVEYTON 6:50 IS TOO LATE FOR MANY OF US AND IT BECOME A PROBLEM WITH OUR EMPLOYERS. Other option is we can use the Spring train as a connection in Dunswart, the problem is the drivers from Daveyton they just drive the train to the yard while people are full waiting for transport to go to work and reason will be is their tshayile time, please really this is an abuse from prasa and their drivers. IF THIS CONTINUE I'M AFRAID IS GOING TO CREATE MORE PROBLEM OF PEOPLE BEING RELUCTANT TO BUY TRAINS TICKETS. And if drivers are on strike why drive and leave people in the middle of nowhere when is tshayile time, I think they must avoid that because is putting their lives in danger. WE WISH OUR GOVERNMENT COULD INTERVENE IN THIS ISSUE BECAUSE ITS BECOMING A STRESS FOR MANY.

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Sonto Ekoh
US
May 05, 2016 1:36 am EDT

I marked MG Khoza's complain by mistake not being usefull it is usefull 100%

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cindy daisy
ZA
May 13, 2016 11:19 am EDT

Evening. I am very upset about the train delays and about the way metrorail time changing ideas is being brought up at a wrong time. From last week onwards was the 90 train of 06:30 am changed and replaced with the 07:00 am. Everyday we arrive late at work and also spending over R100 on transportation which is a problem. Will you please remove the 06:30 am train and change it to 06:45 am because the train is over load.
Thanks
Unknown

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Carol Kanyane
US
May 23, 2016 11:23 pm EDT

My name is Swazi im so furious about the treatment I got at Kwezi station this morning...my boyfriend bought a ticket for me yesterday at Nhlanzane...our agreement was that he will board a train in the morning then get off at Kwezi to give me my ticket which he bought yesyerdae...i was all along waiting for him just here next to the securities waiting for him...Eventually he came and give me my ticket...u could have seen the drama they caused just for that...we were surrounded by securities u wud swear we burnt a school or something...i was so embaeassed the commuters were standing watching while we try to explain that he bought the ticket for me and was due to give me in the morning...The securities said we should have done that in private not in front of them, then it wud seem if there was something rong we doing mos if we did that...i think prasa should take the securities for training and teach them morals and respect...Im still going there to the station when I knock off to speak to the station manager m not letting this slide...no im not

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Carol Kanyane
US
May 24, 2016 11:01 am EDT

My name is Carol I totally disagree with the attitide of the ticket examiners at Ikwezi station...it is soo inappropriate I think they should be taken for training and be taught customer service

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Ptntraveller
ZA
Jun 22, 2016 3:33 am EDT

My husband takes the Pinetown train to Durban every day and sometimes the train doesn't arrive or, as in the case last week, stops at Bellair station and shuts down. No-one tells the passengers what is happening. A passerby came and told him that the driver has left and caught a bus.

The ticket office staff are almost never at Escombe station and when they are they don't appear to know anything about what is happening with the trains.

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Ruwayda Borcherds-Adams
US
Jul 18, 2016 2:03 am EDT

Metrorail is currently fixing the railway tracks, normally I take a train from Waltloo station to Koedoespoort where I get off and wait for the shuttle train to take me to Rissik. This morning, all the trains were late, when the train finally arrived at Watloo station it was full but atleast I managed to get in as school kids got out. At Koedoespoort I got out of the train, only to be told that the train that I got out off is carrying passengers that go to Rissik station and to Pretoria Central, what the hell. the train was so full, people were screaming as they could not breathe. You really have the worst service in the whole of south Africa. No wonder your trains get burned. Nobody even told us that the train was going to Rissik, the passengers told us, sies. You have intercoms at the stations but nobody uses it and even when they use it they only take a language that not everybody understand.

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Ashley Ash Morris
US
Apr 17, 2017 2:30 am EDT

Saturday morning I arrived back in Cape Town after a horrendous 18 hour bus trip from Johannesburg.

I getting off the train at Glencairn. I prepared myself to get off the train ahead of time. I had already taken two bags out and was about to get off the train with my suitcase. Next minute as I was about to step out of the train, the doors closed and the train started moving. I pressed the emergency button countless times but it did not work. A lady on the train saw someone picking the bags up. She thought it was the security. She said I must go to Simons Town station and she will go back with me. At Simons Town station a gentleman who was on the train with me at the time, told the staff what had happened. They did trying to contact the security at the Glencairn station but were unsuccessful. I went back to Glencairn station but the bags were not there. A friend came to picked me up and we drove around a bit to see if we saw anything. Nothing.

I have been to Simons Town station, the cashier woman gave me a number of her supervisor in Fish Hoek. Instead of phoning, I decided to drive there and speak to him face to face. When I got there they were so rude and arrogant. The security guy laughed at me straight in my face. The so called supervisor was hanging onto the one security woman. All they did was gave me a complaints form to fill in.

Because I have relocated back to Cape Town the bags contained pretty much everything I owned. When I told them that I could have been hurt getting out of the train they found it extremely funny.

Now, I would like to know who can I contact regarding this?

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sephomelelo september
US
Oct 05, 2017 7:15 am EDT

i am totally out of words about prasa, even its employed engineers or technicians, for the past two week train from germiston to jHB they will stop and stop for nooo reason, if there is a problem why their engineers fail to fix that, you get early to germiston and you catch a train to JHB but it will stop everywhere anytime, exectly what is the problem. and prasa forgot that we are catching these trains to work not to play, we are getting fired, warning, actually we are losing our jobs because of their poor service, and how can they expect us to buy tickets on poor service and how will they inprove their railway infrastructure if we dont buy tickects because of them, we do want to buy tickets but for which service. prasa must improve.

please people are loosing their JOBS because of prasa transport poor service.

regards from katlenhong.

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sephomelelo september
US
Oct 05, 2017 7:24 am EDT

my name is September i take trains from natal spruit to Germiston, i am very disapointed we are not considered that we are commuters there, the service for that rail side is completely poor, please prasa can you improve service on veernegeng rail side, we are tired. or please this company must just be CLOSED.
PRASA MUST CLOSE

siphumelele september

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EFF Military Wing Guerilla
US
May 13, 2018 11:43 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Thanks to the station manager in Springs for cancelling trains willy-nilly. We're now late and might lose our jobs. A 05:00 o'clock train was cancelled this morning because apparently it doesn't have enough commuters. I mean train times are scheduled on purpose and we all wake up and get ready according that very same schedule. So it is very unfair and in fact taken for a ride to just alter the train schedule as please.

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LeavyMak
ZA
Jun 04, 2018 4:50 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Prasa Fails.

We do understand that we need tickets to use trains. We as passengers also need trains to buy tickets. There was a "Stop and Search" Orlando Station this morning(04/06/10). I bought my ticket at 06:10 (ticket number: 64381), waited for the train till it was 07:48. We waited for another 45 minutes at Orlando due to Sop and Search causing our trips to be delayed. I arrived at Park Station at 08:39 that time I am 39 minutes late for work because my shift usually begins at 08:00.I still have to catch a connecting taxi to Randburg.

We waited for an hour for the train to come, another hour for the Sop and Search. It's unacceptable. I have a broken ankle with pins inserted due to Prasa trains, I have to be abused and face 2 hours cold because I use trains to work. I got injured because of the high number of commuters travelling to an from Vereeniging with little trains.

When I got to work and I was told to sign a FWW(Final Written Warning) because I could adhere with schedule. I was an entry level employee meaning I have not gathered as much experience to look for another job.

I have to choose between stealing train cables or vandalizing stations to make quick cash.

Thank you for failing us.

Leavy
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Nosindiso
ZA
Aug 20, 2018 4:05 pm EDT
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In khayelitsha its a disappointment, anger, failure, stress, not secure, its cold like is said it suit black people.

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jjgrobler.maori
ZA
Oct 15, 2018 1:50 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Train is always late. Some times more than an you're. The train I was suppose to be on was suppose to arrive at 14:56. Its now 16:06. Yet no train. Every day thing.

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Umtha
ZA
Oct 30, 2018 9:53 am EDT

There were not trains today on the Northern line. I take train in Maitland there is totally not communication, we waited for more that an hour, no one is telling us nothing. It would be better if they can even communicate and inform us that there is no train, so that we try and find alternative transports on time. Prasa services in Cape Town is very pathetic. When you ask the Prasa officers they will tell you that they know nothing about train. But if you give them money for the ticket they take it. Is this not fraud?

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Vincent Cook
US
Nov 05, 2018 12:28 am EST

I was on the train this morning and the inspectorsurrounding passed every Xhosa over and checked the tickets of whites, foreigners and coloureds. . When he asked me for my ticket I refused because of the bias displayed... het wanted to throw me off. ..then het walked on when others started calling out

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StanleyTh
ZA
Nov 14, 2018 7:56 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

metro must start taking their stakeholders serious, i can't be in a 6am train and the person whotakes 7am train gets to joburg before i do. Your trains are affortable yes, but your service is poor always. i've used trains for a year now.

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Miss Tieties
ZA
Jan 28, 2019 3:46 am EST

Good Morning

Trust you are well

I would like to lay a complaint about the services of some of your staff.

This morning wanted to pay a weekly so this lady told me that the machine don’t give weekly .

There is no Metrorail people on the Malmesbury train!

We have to stand long in a line for a ticket and because of that some of us arrive late at work.

If that is not bad enough we have to pay R10 for a ticket where we used to pay R8 for a ticket

I used to pay a monthly but now I can’t because there is no metro staff on the train

Yes, there is people that are rude but some of your staff don’t know how to speak to the people

As the saying goes the customer is always right

I trust you will look into the matter and address it with high Importance

Kind Regards

From a Unhappy Customer

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Queenie Kakana
US
Jun 12, 2019 5:02 am EDT

Poor service delivery and incompetent staff.

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Stanley adams
ZA
Jul 06, 2019 4:15 pm EDT

Can build train on top of baddan Howell road towards muizeberg and on top of N1 to Cape town and top of N2 to Cape town to avoid traffic build up towards towm

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Amasulumani
ZA
Jul 25, 2019 7:37 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I've been using a train since 2015 via Vereeniging-Kliprivier-Germiston route. My train station is at Meyerton and this morning i was pushed to the limit. I normally catch train #0710 and since the beginning of this train is become a curse to the commuters and i have decided to catch earlier trains. I got to the station around 05:00 am with the hope of catching train #0708.

Only to be told that no train has come yet due power failure at a station before Meyerton and both lines are out of order. Usually in a situation like this trains coming from Germiston would therefore do all-change @Meyerton and commuters from Vereeniging would be adviced to move to Meyerton whilst buses are being organized.

All of a sudden the 1st train #0705 does all-change @Kliprivier and turns back to Germiston as train #0712. We wait knowing another train # 0707 is also coming our way we hoping it will U-turn @Meyerton. Same thing happens it turns back @Kliprivier-Germiston as well as 0714 and no one cares to inform us about these new arrangements.

Under the circumstances we should have been informed on time so that we can move to Kliprivier as well. This is a clear violation of my rights as customer holding a monthly ticket.

At this time i decided to phone the Vereeniging office and find out what's going on... The guy picks up a phone and promises to call me back about this situation. Instead he sends me an sms saying this inconvenience is in preparation of tomorrow's strike.

Such arrogance good people...

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Puleng M
ZA
Sep 03, 2019 7:08 am EDT

Certainly not happy with ticket-checkers/examiners at Claremont station today at 9:30 (03 September 2019). The lady checking the ticket mistreated me even though I had a monthly ticket on my hand. When the train from Cape Town stopped on the other platform, they were not at their exit station. They were warming themselves in the sun. As I and other commuters we were walking down the stairs (Mind you the train is late), about 3 steps from the exit, they started to stand into their position. I already had my ticket out and displaying because there was no time to wait for the to assemble when they saw the train had been standing and embarking.

The lady forceful and roughly pulled me with my bag and blocked the exit. As a result, she tore my bag. On top of of that she grabs be with my clothes. Instead of the other ticket examiner telling her that she is wrong, he takes her side. The lady continued to insult me and I told her she was grown, need to act like one, as she was wrong. I captured the pictures of the bag and the ticket as it a monthly immediately arriving at work.

Never at once I don't buy a ticket even when trains are delaying, have infrastructure problems. Please don't place people who are not trained or don't know how to do their jobs at the designated positions. The lady needs to be fired.

Please acknowledge the customers and the struggles we go through because of the broken system and infrastructure.

Some of them sit in the sun and no do their jobs on-top of the broken train infrastructure they are adding more issues.

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nonkululeko shandu
US
Nov 01, 2019 4:49 am EDT

Morning kindly I would like to complain abaout Prasa Finance section they way they are treating us sevice Providers. We delever what has been orderd and promised to be paid within 30 days only to find that you wait for more than 30 days close to 60 days.
We Small business depended on borrowed Capital to any kind of work with a hope of being paid in 30 days. I dont understand if Organisations like Prasa will pay in 60 days what does that mean.

Im also having a problem with Prasa in Durban, Im still waitting to be paid and the people from Finance are not giving me any Direction. Also if I am requesting contact details for the head office which is responsible for payments they are refusing. Im now blank and I dont know how Im going to pay this Intrest.

Can someone from Prasa help and give us contact details for relavant people.

Regards
Nonyando Trading
Vendor No:-117289
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  1. Prasa / Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa Contacts

  2. Prasa / Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa phone numbers
    +27 127 487 000
    +27 127 487 000
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  3. Prasa / Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa emails
  4. Prasa / Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa address
    Prasa House, 1040 Burnett Street, Hatfield, South Africa
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Prasa / Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa is ranked 26 among 34 companies in the Bus and Rail category