Opposition parties in KwaZulu-Natal have urged the provincial government to abandon plans for a bullet train between Durban and Johannesburg, calling instead for investment in freight rail to reduce truck traffic on the accident-prone N3 highway.

The Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) criticized Premier Thami Ntuli’s bullet train proposal, which was mentioned in his State of the Province Address last month. The project was first proposed in 2018 but has seen no progress.

“Forget about the bullet train and look at the trucks that affect the road,” said MKP MPL Mervyn Dirks. “Bring back the freight trains to get the trucks off the road.”

MKP’s Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza emphasized reviving the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), which he described as “on the brink of collapse due to corruption.” He noted that many poor citizens rely on Prasa for daily transportation.

Chiliza also raised concerns about delays in the Go Durban project, intended to improve public transportation and create jobs in eThekwini Municipality.

The debate extended to the government’s partnership with Karan Beef, with Chiliza questioning an expensive but inactive abattoir in Umkhanyakude. Local farmers must currently transport cattle to Gauteng for processing.

MEC Siboniso Duma defended the Karan Beef partnership, saying it was the only abattoir supporting 70% of the province’s rural livestock farmers. He added that new trains had been introduced to improve Prasa service, with subsidized fares for affordability.

Premier Ntuli acknowledged concerns about truck congestion and confirmed the province is working with national government on solutions. He attributed Go Durban project delays to necessary upgrades.

The debate also included calls for a cabinet reshuffle, particularly regarding health MEC Nomagugu Simelane, amid reported medication shortages in provincial healthcare facilities.