A GROUP of matriculants from across Eastern Cape are benefiting from the newly opened Kei Rail, which began weekend services in March.

The 42 youngsters started their three-year Rail Training Programme earlier this week, after signing their contracts on Friday, 1 August. They were deployed to various Kei Rail stations on Monday.

Ncedo Kumbaca, the spokesperson in the provincial department of roads and transport, explained that the youth would receive practical training for six months as train drivers, train control officers, track masters, track welders and operations managers.

“This will be followed by theoretical training at Transnet’s Essellenpark Centre. They will receive a monthly stipend of R3 000.”

Kumbaca said the Rail Training Programme formed part of the province’s Back to Rail strategy, which aimed to revitalise the dormant rail infrastructure in the province and transform the rail sector.

“This initiative presents a good opportunity for us to effectively transform the rail sector through massive skilling of previously marginalised individuals.”

To ensure that the strategy was a success, the department approved a R5,3-million business plan for the opening of the Rail Centre of Excellence at the Walter Sisulu University in partnership with various engineering departments from further education and training colleges and railway stakeholders.

Kei Rail began operations in March; its refurbishment cost R120-million. It operates a weekend passenger service on the 281km line between East London and Mthatha, while plans are in the pipeline to extend this to a daily service and add a freight service.

Already the project has created over 300 jobs through small, medium and micro enterprises that have been awarded contracts for track maintenance, catering, cleaning and the maintenance of the stations along the line. The Kei Rail line was built in the 1900s.