Gautrain glitters but drains the public purse

2026-03-03 - 04:23

One thing which never ceases to amaze us is the special sort of arithmetic our ANC politicians like to use when detailing their triumphs. No surprise, then, to hear Gauteng finance and economic development MEC Lebogang Maile use his special numbers to extol the virtues of the Gautrain. According to him, the Gautrain is a marvellous example of a successful public-private partnership, because, although it cost R26 billion to construct, it is now valued at between R45 billion and R53 billion. That’s an annual average increase of under 4%... not much of an investment. ALSO READ: Gautrain to be handed over to Gauteng government, new operator to be announced Also, what the MEC glossed over was the fact that the Gautrain was never profitable and required more than R20 billion in government subsidies to keep operating. Its passenger numbers now are half what they were at its peak about a decade ago, so the per-passenger subsidy has increased for what is, effectively, a vanity, rather than a mass transit project. Gautrain has done little to improve mass transport in Gauteng, although it does play a psychological role in showing we can run high-tech systems in our country. It’s something many can be proud of, sitting in decrepit taxis as they watched the golden trains flash past at 160km/h. NOW READ: Gautrain keeps on track 15 years later