Two X’Trapolis Mega trains are presented by PRASA in Cape Town

Alstom’s South African joint venture (JV) Gibela has seen two of its X’Trapolis Mega trains successfully revealed by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to the residents of the City of Cape Town.

These trains are part of the 600 new, state-of-the-art fleet being built by Gibela for the PRASA. The first 18 trains, currently operating in Pretoria, north of Johannesburg, were manufactured at Alstom’s Lapa factory in Brazil.

Gibela’s new, modern train manufacturing facility located in Dunnottar (Gauteng Province) has started producing the first trains made in South Africa by South African people – the first three such trains were delivered to PRASA between December 2018 and March 2019. 

“Alstom is very pleased to be participating in the country’s railway transport revitalisation. The success of this project with Gibela positions us as a reliable partner, established for the long term in South Africa,” commented Xavier Boisgontier, Managing Director for Alstom Southern Africa and CEO of Alstom Ubunye. “Indeed, Gibela is consistently receiving recognition through various industry bodies, the latest being from the South African government’s Transport Education and Training Authority for excellence in Skills Development and Training.”

The Gibela plant, inaugurated last October by the President of South Africa, has been built with the capacity to produce 62 trains a year at peak production (each trainset comprises six cars). Local suppliers involved in the supply chain in line with local content contractual commitments will gain manufacturing expertise. The project will boost the country’s economy as it creates jobs, develops new skills, and prioritises local economic development and local content.