Metrorail's Good Story

Metrorail has become synonyms with unreliable-, miscommunication and incompetent service and the slogan, getting South Africa to work has become getting South Africa to work late or Not getting South Africa to work.

The railway service however has a good story to tell, sadly one they choose not to, or even to focus on. Not surprising though, as they do refuse to take responsibility – and again proof, they even refuse to accept responsibility for something good.

For more than a year now I’ve been invited to join Metrorail’s Rail Tourism aka Tourism Train on one of their visits and unfortunately every time something popped up. I was blessed to join the team on World Tourism Day (this was not planned) on their outing to Simons Town.

To summarize the trip:

We left about 10 minutes later than scheduled – due to speed restrictions at Cape Town and our train stopped four times along the route. Now because it’s a tourism train, you don’t get frustrated that you’ll be delayed, you rather enjoy the scenic view.

A few things caught my attention during this trip:

- Staff onboard was friendly and always ready to assist. They made you feel they one of your friends was the observation by one of the people that was on the train.

- Staff not only traveled with because it’s their job but they are competent. They are well informed and know the area they traveling in. In their tours they added a personal touch – something that makes you appreciate what they sharing with you.

- The South African Naval Museum and submarine at Navy Base that we toured are not government funded aka supported by government and it is so ironic as Rail Tourism (my conclusion) is not supported by Metrorail big bosses – support is more than just giving a few funds.

- The team also aim to build a relationship with the visitors.

My negative comments:

+ There’s not refuse bags in the train – 80 to 90% of visitors had coffee or a snack with them when they got in and had to wait until we got off at Simons Town...

+ While Metrorail gets mentioned, no real marketing about Metrorail is done to encourage the visitors to make use of the railway service.

+ There were kids onboard and I couldn’t help but wonder, what if they had to injure themselves – is there a first aid kit onboard?

I really enjoyed the train trip and not only the scenery but the information shared at the sites we stopped at.

The Tourism Train was an idea in 2010 and started out as a small project but became a reality in 2011 and it is really tragic that Metrorail’s big bosses don’t focus on their good story.

The Tourism Train in Cape Town, is the only of it is kind in South Africa and what makes this a bigger tragedy is that the two people who can drive telling the good story was there when the initiative was born: Current Regional Manager was Customer Services Manager in 2010 and the Communications HOD is still in the same position 4 years later.

Metrorail can change their own ‘dark’ image, if only their HODs would focus on the company and telling the good story, instead of shifting blame and refusing to accept responsibility.

Metrorail’s HODs, area managers and especially customer services staff can learn a lot from the Tourism team – from how to engage with customers to communication.

The Tourism Train has only been a success the past four years and when Daphne, Keith and team are not with visitors on their way to Simons Town, they off to Khayelitsha to the departmentof Coffee or touring wine farms in Stellenbosch – they hosting school kids, showing them why Cape Town is host to one of the seven wonders of the world and crowned best destination in Africa at the World Tourism Awards.

Ps: Special thanks to Daphne, Keith, Debbie, Joseph and the twins Sibusiso and Sifiso – you guys were awesome. Someone once told me those around you don’t usual see and acknowledge what you do and what impact you have – but others do. I’m one of those others, who appreciate the extra effort you put into making (rail) tourism a success.

Braaivleis, pap, wors is deel van Suid-Afrikaanse kultuur

Wat is meer eg Suid-Afrikaans as boerewors, biltong en braaivleis?

Geen ander plek op aarde kan die erfenis van dié lekkernye naboots nie.

Hoe kan ’n mens Erfenisdag sonder ’n vleisie op die kole vier? Braai is dan een van ons land se ryk kulturele tradisies.

In 2005 het Erfenisdag ook Nasionale Braaidag geword. Dié geleentheid is deur die Mzansi-braai-instituut geïnisieer en word sedert 2008 onder die vaandel van Braai4Heritage, ’n nie-winsgewende inisiatief, gedryf. Die doel van die inisiatief is om Suid-Afrikaners te verenig en aan te moedig om deel te neem in ’n prettige en tasbare aktiwiteit.

Mnr. Jan Scannell, hoof van die Braai4Heritage-inisiatief, sê die dryfveer agter Nasionale Braaidag is Suid-Afrikaners se liefde vir vuurmaak,die samesyn rondom die vuur en om kos voor te berei.

“Dit is die een ding wat alle Suid-Afrikaners in gemeen het. Dit is ’n tradisionele plek van bymekaar koms in Afrika.”

Die dag is belangrik, net soos die Wêreldbeker-sokkertoernooi en Wêreldbeker-rugbytoernooi, want dit bring mense saam, sê dr. Ivan Meyer, voormalige Wes-Kaapse minister van sport en kultuursake. 

“Dit is ook belangrik om nie ons erfenis te vergeet terwyl jy ’n tjop of stukkie hoender braai nie. Daar is ook baie ander erfenis-aktiwiteite waaraan mense kan deelneem.”

Scannell sê braai is die een ding waarvoor almal lief is en wat selfs die grense van taal, kultuur, geografie, geloof en sport oorsteek.

Nasionale Braaidag word op Erfenisdag gevier, maar hoekom nie op Menseregtedag, Vryheidsdag of selfs Versoeningsdag nie?

Meyer meen daar kan op elk van dié dae gebraai word, juis omdat dit een van die aktiwiteite is waar almal bymekaarkom.

“Mense praat met mekaar en is gesellig. Dit bied die geleentheid om oor die geskiedenis te gesels en na die toekoms uit te sien.”

Scannell verduidelik braai is ’n erfenis, terwyl dae soos Menseregte- en Vryheidsdag te veel politieke bagasie dra. Versoeningsdag is weer te na aan Kersfees en al die fokus sal daarop val, verduidelik hy, en voeg by September is aan die begin van lente, ’n gepaste tyd om Suid-Afrika met ’n braai te vier ná die winter.

“Braai skep nie net geselligheid nie,maar skep ook ’n platform waar mense hul diep persoonlike waardes en tradisies openbaar,” sê Meyer.

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Erfenisraad het in 2008 hul ondersteuning gegee aan dié inisiatief. 

’n Jaar later het die inisiatief ’n amptelike liedjie, “Our Heritage”, bekendgestel. Hierdie liedjie word deur die Soweto-gospelkoor, Hip Hop Pantsula, JR en Die Heuwels Fantasties gesing.

“Die dag skep ’n positiewe gees, wat aansteeklik is. Niemand is vir niemand kwaad nie,” sê Meyer.

Daar is groot ondersteuning vir Nasionale Braaidag en duisende Suid-Afrikaners neem deel daaraan, noem Scannell, oor Jan Publiek se ondersteuning van die dag.

“Ander lande het jare reeds sulke nasionale feesdae soos Ierland se St. Patrick-dag en Amerika se Dankseggingsdag. Nou het Suid-Afrika ook sy eie: Braaidag.”

Meyer sê Suid-Afrikaners sal egter enige dag gebruik om te braai.

“As die Springbokke wen, dan is daar ’n lus vir braai en jy sien dit om elke hoek en draai,” sê Meyer.

Omdat hy van Vredenburg aan die Weskus is, verkies hy om vis te braai, sê Meyer oor sy braai vernuf.

“Ek hou van boerewors, omdat dit eg Suid-Afrikaans is. Dit is wat ek Saterdag sal braai,” sê Scannell oor sygunsteling-braairesep.

Scannell voel Nasionale Braaidag bereik sy doel, maar sal nog baie groei.Meyer stemsaamen sê braai het in Suid-Afrika reeds kultuurstatus bereik.

“Nasionale Braaidag groei soos ’n veldbrand. Suid-Afrikaners moet net versigtig wees en nie veldbrande op dié dag veroorsaak nie,” sê Scannell.

Oorspronklike artikel het in Die Burger verskyn op Donderdag 22 September 2011

A nation that belongs to all the people

We celebrate Heritage Day to give recognition to our cultural heritage and the diversity of beliefs and traditions.


The day formerly known as Shaka Day, has the objective for South Africans to commemorate, no matter what your background, your heritage. This in a nutshell means no one should forget who and what he/she is and where you come from. On the 24th September you can celebrate your culture, history and background – therefore it’s called Heritage-day.


Former President, Nelson Mandela called us the Rainbow nation to describe the different culture, tradition, history and languages and the day is meant to celebrate this diversity.
I was born in a coloured community in the early 1980’s, when apartheid was still a reality. “Jy kon in die tronk beland net omdat jy ‘swart’ is.” I live in the new South Africa now. “Waar ek vry is en kan vier wie ek is.”
I can’t help but wonder, am I commemorating my heritage on the 24th of September or am I celebrating democracy?


On Heritage Day, I am not only supposed to celebrate my own heritage, but reach out beyond the different cultural borders. Unity, nation building, reconciliation and patriotism should be at the order of the day. It is sad though that this is not the reality, but rather the day is just another public holiday.


Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, during the 20th February historic FW de Klerk-speech celebrations in 2011 said there are many things that unite us as South Africans.
For the past few years, South Africans have celebrated Braai Day on/with Heritage Day. The aim of this is to give recognition to the South African culinary tradition of holding informal backyard barbecues/braais.


In an interview for Braai Day in 2012, former Western Cape Cultural Affairs and Sport Minister, Dr. Ivan Meyer, said Braai Day reached cultural status. “People talk with each other and the day gives an opportunity to talk about the history and look forward to the future.”
Or as patron of National Braai Day, Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu affirmed the day on September 5th 2007, “to be a unifying force in a divided country”.

We should not only celebrate our own heritage but also that which we inherited. We need to celebrate the nature, places of scientific and historical importance, national monuments, historic buildings, art, literature, music, vocal traditions and museums.

Former President, Nelson Mandela, during the second Heritage day celebrations said “if we as a nation want to rise like the phoenix from the ash, from the oppression and conflict of the past, we need to recognize those who devoted their work and talent for the goal of a non-racial democracy”.