An integrated vandalism and theft analysis for the Western Cape rail network

Abstract

The vandalism and theft of railway assets are a major cause of disruption in the Western Cape rail network. With the increase in population and the increased need for public transportation, the Western Cape rail network is struggling to meet its demand because of these disruptions. A literature review was done to better understand vandalism, theft and the impact these types of incidents have on the rail network in South Africa, and internationally. A data analysis was done into the vandalism and theft of rolling stock and infrastructure assets for the Western Cape rail network. Data was collected from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) offices in Salt River, Cape Town, because this department has an overview of all the vandalism and theft incidents reported against the Western Cape rail network. The analysis for both data sets showed a distinct pattern of increased incidents from 2013 to 2014, a decrease from 2014 to 2015 and a large increase again towards 2017. Hotspot locations for incidents on rolling stock assets were found to be Paarden Eiland, Salt River and Cape Town. Hotspot locations for incidents on infrastructure assets were found to be Bonteheuwel, Lavistown and Nyanga. For both sets of data the components most affected were cables. Possible solutions were investigated in this study which gives opportunities for further research into the application and effectiveness of these solutions. This project aligns with the priorities of the Western Cape Government to plan for resilient growth by improving transport planning in the Province.