Thunderstorms delay Jhb trains

2008-01-04 13:08

Johannesburg - Morning trains in the Johannesburg and surrounding areas were delayed on Friday due to technical problems caused by thunderstorms, Metrorail said.

"Most of our trains in the Veereniging, Soweto and the Germiston areas were delayed due to technical problems.

"The overhead power cables were faulty because they became flooded with water during thunder storms, making it difficult for us to run trains," said spokesperson Sibusiso Ngomane.

Ngomane said trains were delayed for about 10 to 15 minutes while the technicians were busy restoring the service, which was cut due to water flooding.

"The delay could take longer sometimes depending on the damage, but we are happy we did not have any cancellations. And not many commuters were affected because most people are still on holiday."

He said Metrorail was likely to experience the same problems on Friday afternoon because it had been told to expect more thunder storms by the South African Weather Services.

"Commuters can contact our customer line service on 0800 127 070 for information relating to delays or go to the stations and enquire on our customer help desks," he said.

Ngomane said the train schedule was back to normal "for now".

- SAPA