Matric Pass Rate 2015 per Region and School

Die long wait for the 2015 matric results are over. Here's the matric pass rate per school per district in the Western Cape:

• Cape Winelands
• Overberg
• West Coast
• Eden and Central Karoo
• Metro Districts

Matric Pass Rate 2015: Overberg and West Coast

Overberg and West Coast Results

OVERBERG received 89.7% a 1.6% increase from 2014

• ALBERT MYBURGH SECONDARY 90.7
• BARRYDALE HIGH 95.1
• BREDASDORP HIGH 98.9
• DE RUST FUTURA AKADEMIE 97.1
• DE VILLIERS GRAAFF HIGH 100
• EMIL WEDER SECONDARY 92.1
• GANSBAAI ACADEMIA 88.5
• GRABOUW HIGH 97.1
• GROENBERG SECONDARY 92.6
• HAWSTON SECONDARY 81.8
• HERMANUS HIGH 100
• NORTHCLIFF HOUSE COLLEGE 92.3
• OLYFKRANS COLLEGE 100
• OVERBERG HIGH 100
• QHAYIYA SECONDARY 80.6
• RIVIERSONDEREND HIGH 100
• SWARTBERG SECONDARY 82.8
• SWELLENDAM HIGH 98.7
• SWELLENDAM SECONDARY 92.3
• UMYEZO WAMA APILE HIGH 65.7
• VILLIERSDORP SECONDARY 81

WEST COAST received 88.9% a 0.5% increase from 2014:

• AUGSBURG LANDBOUGIMNASIUM 100
• CEDERBERG ACADEMY 80.5
• CLANWILLIAM SECONDARY 87.5
• DIAZVILLE HIGH 90
• DIRKIE UYS HIGH 100
• GRAAFWATER HIGH 100
• HOPEFIELD HIGH 100
• LLINGELETHU SECONDARY 56.7
• LOUWVILLE HIGH 79.1
• LUTZVILLE HIGH 100
• NUWERUS HIGH 90.5
• PIKETBERG HIGH 100
• PORTERVILLE HIGH 100
• SCHOONSPRUIT SECONDARY 85.2
• STEYNVILLE SECONDARY 86.1
• SWARTLAND HIGH 100
• VANRHYNSDORP HIGH 97.4
• VELDDRIF HIGH 93.3
• VREDENBURG HIGH 96.5
• VREDENDAL HIGH 100
• VREDENDAL SECONDARY 87.9
• WESBANK SECONDARY 88.8
• WESTON SECONDARY 79.5

Matric Pass Rate 2015: Metro Regions

Matric Pass Rate 2015: Metro Regions

Metro Central: 87.6% a 5.2% increase from 2014.

• ABBOTT’S COLLEGE 97.0
• AL-AZHAR HIGH SCHOOL 84.7
• ALEXANDER SINTON SECONDARY 92.5
• ARCADIA SECONDARY 82.4
• ATHLONE SECONDARY 81.1
• BEAUVALLON SECONDARY 93.8
• BELGRAVIA SECONDARY 87.1
• BISHOPS 100
• BONTEHEUWEL SECONDARY 92.1
• BRIDGETOWN SECONDARY 97.8
• BUREN HIGH 84.9
• CAMPS BAY HIGH 100
• CANNONS CREEK SCHOOL 100
• CAPE TOWN HIGH 94.7
• CATHKIN SECONDARY 82.1
• CITY MISSION EDUCATIONAL SERVICES 87.5
• CLAREMONT HIGH 100
• CRYSTAL SECONDARY 84.5
• DARUL ISLAM ISLAMIC HIGH 89.9
• DOMINICAN GRIMLEYSCHOOL 100
• FEZEKA SECONDARY 62.1
• GARDENS COMMERCIAL HIGH 96.3
• GARLANDALE SECONDARY 90.4
• GOOD HOPE SEMINARY HIGH 100
• GROENVLEI SECONDARY 95.1
• GROOTE SCHUUR HIGH 95.9
• GULDEREN SULTAN CAPE GIRLS HIGH 71.4
• HAROLD CRESSY HIGH 96.5
• HEIDEVELD SECONDARY 91.8
• HERITAGE COLLEGE 95.2
• HERSCHEL GIRLS SCHOOL 100
• HERZLIA HIGH 100
• HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL (MAITLAND) 97.9
• HOUTBAAI SECONDARY 86.3
• I. D. MKIZE SECONDARY 64.7
• ICG DAMELIN MOWBRAY 100
• ICRA COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL 60.0
• IKAMVALETHU SECONDARY 60.1
• INTSHUKUMO SECONDARY 58.4
• ISILIMELA SECONDARY 79.6
• ISLAMIA COLLEGE SECONDARY 97.4
• JAN VAN RIEBEECK HIGH 100
• KENSINGTON SECONDARY 92.3
• KULANI SECONDARY 58.2
• LANGA SECONDARY 41.9
• LEAP SCIENCE AND MATHS SCHOOL 100
• LIVINGSTONE HIGH 99.4
• MAITLAND SECONDARY 76.3
• MANENBERG SECONDARY 66.0
• MODDERDAM SECONDARY 77.3
• MOUNT VIEW SECONDARY 76.5
• NED DOMAN HIGH 67.9
• OAKLANDS SECONDARY 93.8
• OUDE MOLEN HGHER TECHNICAL SCHOOL 96.4
• PEAK VIEW SECONDARY 87.3
• PHOENIX SECONDARY 85.4
• PINELANDS HIGH 99.5
• PREMIER COLLEGE 79.3
• QUEEN’S PARK HIGH 87.9
• RHODES HIGH 81.7
• RONDEBOSCH BOYS HIGH 100
• ROSEBANK PROGRESS COLLEGE 98.6
• RUSTENBURG GIRLS HIGH 100
• RYLANDS HIGH 96.1
• S.A. COLLEGE HIGH 98.6
• SALT RIVER SECONDARY 61.9
• SANS SOUCI GIRLS HIGH 98.8
• SCHOOL OF HOPE 90.0
• SEA POINT HIGH 94.0
• SILVERSTREAM SECONDARY 43.8
• SPES BONA HIGH 87.1
• ST. CYPRIAN’S SCHOOL 100
• ST. GEORGE’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL 100
• ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE 100
• STAR COLLEGE CAPE TOWN 100
• STONEFOUNTAIN COLLEGE – ATHLONE 45.5
• STONEFOUNTAIN COLLEGE – KENILWORTH 73.1
• THANDOKHULU SECONDARY 88.6
• THE LEADERSHIP COLLEGE 70.2
• TRAFALGAR SECONDARY 95.8
• VISTA HIGH 74.3
• VISTA NOVA-SCHOOL 100
• VOORTREKKER HIGH 94.5
• WALMER SECONDARY 91.8
• WESTERFORD HIGH 100
• WINDERMERE SECONDARY 78.7
• WINDSOR HIGH 97.0
• Y2K COLLEGE 80.7
• ZONNEBLOEM NEST SENIOR SCHOOL 90.5

Metro East: 80.5% a 1% drop from 2014.

• BELLVILLE HIGH 100
• BLACKHEATH SECONDARY 69.7
• BOSTON PRIVATE SCHOOL 97.7
• BRACKENFELL HIGH 99.7
• BULUMKO SECONDARY 61.0
• CENTRE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 93.7
• CHRIS HANI SECONDARY 84.8
• DE KUILEN HIGH 98.7
• DUNATOS PRIVAATSKOOL 100
• EERSTERIVIER SECONDARY 81.1
• ESANGWENI SECONDARY 72.9
• FOREST HEIGHTS HIGH 71.4
• GOOD HOPE HIGH 86.4
• GORDON SECONDARY 83.0
• HARRY GWALA SECONDARY 67.5
• HELDERBERG HIGH SCHOOL 96.9
• HOTTENTOTS-HOLLAND HIGH 98.6
• INTLANGANISO SECONDARY 64.3
• IQHAYIYA SECONDARY 88.7
• JAN KRIEL-SKOOL 97.9
• JOE SLOVO SECONDARY 69.1
• KHANYOLWETHU SECONDARY 50.5
• KLEINVLEI SECONDARY 82.2
• KWAMFUNDO SECONDARY 72.4
• LUHLAZA SECONDARY 87.1
• MACASSAR SECONDARY 78.2
• MADRASATUR RAJAA STRAND HIGH 100
• MALIBU SECONDARY 92.2
• MANYANO HIGH 86.8
• MANZOMTHOMBO SECONDARY 82.7
• MASIYILE SENIOR SECONDARY 75.0
• MATTHEW GONIWE MEMORIAL HIGH 82.8
• MONDEOR ECO SCHOOL 94.4
• MONUMENT PARK HIGH 98.5
• NATURAL LEARNING ACADEMY 100
• NORTHPINE TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL 73.3
• PAREL VALLEI HIGH 100
• RUSTHOF SECONDARY 65.9
• SAREPTA SECONDARY 88.9
• SCOTTSDENE SECONDARY 81.6
• SCOTTSVILLE SECONDARY 57.3
• SIMANYENE SECONDARY 56.7
• SINAKO SECONDARY SCHOOL 74.4
• SIPHAMANDLA SECONDARY 95.4
• SIZIMISELE SECONDARY 78.5
• SOMERSET WEST PRIVATE SCHOOL 100
• STRAND HIGH 97.9
• STRAND SECONDARY 76.9
• THE EQUESTRIAN ACADEMY OF CAPE TOWN 100
• THEMBELIHLE HIGH 59.3
• TUSCANY GLEN SECONDARY 86.0
• USASAZO SECONDARY 85.2
• UXOLO HIGH 61.9
• VALSBAAI HIGH 100
• WESTERN CAPE SPORT SCHOOL 85.7
• ZANDVLIET HIGH 77.8
• ZOLA SECONDARY 72.2

Metro North: 84.5% a 3.2% increase from 2014.

• ABBOTTS COLLEGE, MILNERTON 100
• ATHLONE SKOOL VIR BLINDES 35.0
• ATLANTIS SECONDARY 82.4
• BARDALE SECONDARY 76.9
• BELHAR SECONDARY 84.8
• BELLVILLE HIGHER TECHNICAL SCHOOL 95
• BELLVILLE-SUID SECONDARY 80
• BERNADINO HEIGHTS SECONDARY 98.4
• BISHOP LAVIS SECONDARY 69.5
• BLOEKOMBOS SECONDARY 76.7
• BLOUBERGRANT SECONDARY 98.6
• BOSMANSDAM HIGH 98.6
• CAPE TOWN STUDIES AND TOURS 100
• CBC ST. JOHN’S PARKLANDS 100
• CRAVENBY SECONDARY 83.5
• D.F. MALAN HIGH 100
• DELFT TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL 35.7
• DR. NELSON R. MANDELA HIGH 55.9
• DURBANVILLE HIGH 99.4
• EBEN DONGES HIGH 93.2
• EDGEMEAD HIGH 97.8
• ELSIESRIVIER SECONDARY 96.6
• ELSWOOD SECONDARY 72.7
• EMMANUEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 84.0
• EXCELSIOR SECONDARY 94.5
• FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE 100
• FAIRMONT HIGH 100
• FISANTEKRAAL HIGH 64.8
• FLORIDA SECONDARY 90.9
• GOODWOOD KOLLEGE 97.6
• HECTOR PETERSON SECONDARY 71.4
• HINDLE HIGH 98.5
• INKWENKWEZI SECONDARY 71.9
• IQRA ACADEMY 86.2
• J.G. MEIRING HIGH 89.3
• JOHN RAMSAY HIGH 76.4
• KASSELSVLEI KOMPREHENSIEWE HIGH 78.0
• KUILS RIVER TECHNICAL SECONDARY 56.9
• LEIDEN SECONDARY 68.1
• MARIAN RC SECONDARY 91.5
• MASIBAMBANE SECONDARY 91.8
• MASIBAMBISANE SECONDARY 50.4
• MELKBOS HIGH SCHOOL 96.9
• MELKBOSSTRAND PRIVATE SCHOOL 100
• MFULENI SECONDARY 79.6
• MILNERTON HIGH 100.0
• MOUNTAIN VIEW ACADEMY 100
• NEW EISLEBEN SECONDARY 47.1
• PARKLANDS COLLEGE 100
• PAROW HIGH 97.7
• PERSEVERANCE SECONDARY 93.3
• PRESIDENT HIGH 97.9
• PROTEUS SECONDARY 77.2
• RANGE SECONDARY 63.9
• RAVENSMEAD SECONDARY 98.7
• RIVERSIDE COLLEGE 100
• ROBINVALE HIGH 90.7
• ROSENDAAL SECONDARY 66.7
• SAXONSEA SECONDARY 82.1
• SILVERSANDS SECONDARY 82.5
• SIMUNYE SECONDARY 78.1
• SINENJONGO HIGH 90.6
• ST. ANDREW’S SECONDARY 39.4
• STELLENBERG HIGH 100
• SUNNINGDALE SCHOOL 100
• SYMPHONY SECONDARY 86.9
• TABLE VIEW HIGH 99.5
• TAFELBERGSKOOL 100
• THE SETTLERS HIGH 99.2
• TYGERBERG HIGH 99.4
• UITZIG SECONDARY 52.6
• VALHALLA SECONDARY 78.1
• VOORBRUG SECONDARY 69.5
• WALLACEDENE SECONDARY 53.3
• WEST BANK HIGH 76.3
• WINELANDS ACADEMY 100

Metro South: 84.5% a 2.7% increase from 2014.

• ADVANCED LEARNING ACADEMY 9.1
• ALOE SECONDARY 51.1
• BEACON HILL SECONDARY 85.8
• BERGVLIET HIGH 98.9
• CAPE ACADEMY FOR MATHS, SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL 99.2
• CEDAR SECONDARY 81.4
• CHRISTEL HOUSE SOUTH AFRICA 97.5
• CONSTANTIA WALDORF SCHOOL 100
• CRESTWAY SECONDARY 88.3
• DARUL ARGAM ISLAMIC HIGH 95.1
• DARUN NA’IM HIGH 100
• DOMINIKAANSE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF 75.0
• FAIRMOUNT SECONDARY 89.8
• FISH HOEK HIGH 99.4
• FOCUS COLLEGE 84.0
• GLENDALE SECONDARY 91.7
• GRASSDALE HIGH 98.5
• GRASSY PARK SECONDARY 94.3
• HEATHFIELD HIGH 82.9
• IMMACULATA RK SECONDARY 100
• INTSEBENZISWANO SECONDARY 67.5
• LAVENDER HILL SECONDARY 83.8
• LENTEGEUR SECONDARY 84.3
• LOTUS SECONDARY 63.4
• MASIPHUMELELE HS 70.1
• MICHAEL OAK WALDORF SCHOOL 100
• MONDALE HIGH 99.2
• MUIZENBERG HIGH 97.1
• NORMAN HENSHILWOOD HIGH 99.5
• OCEAN VIEW SECONDARY 86.1
• OSCAR MPETHA HIGH 84.9
• OVAL NORTH SECONDARY 95.1
• PELICAN PARK HIGH SCHOOL 92.0
• PHAKAMA SECONDARY 65.8
• PHANDULWAZI HIGH 72.4
• PHILLIPI SECONDARY 69.3
• PLUMSTEAD HIGH 86.0
• PORTLAND SECONDARY 97.8
• PRINCETON SECONDARY 72.9
• ROCKLANDS SECONDARY 90.7
• SHILOAH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 100
• SIBELIUS HIGH 83.3
• SIMON’S TOWN SCHOOL 93.3
• SINETHEMBA SECONDARY 63.5
• SITHEMBELE MATISO SECONDARY 53.8
• SOPHUMELELA SECONDARY 73.9
• SOUTH PENINSULA HIGH 98
• SPINE ROAD SECONDARY 99.3
• SPRINGFIELD CONVENT OF THE HOLY ROSARY 100
• STEENBERG SECONDARY 86.7
• STRANDFONTEIN SECONDARY 81.8
• TAFELSIG SECONDARY 85.8
• THE ORACLE ACADEMY 96.8
• VUYISEKA SECONDARY 73.8
• WESTRIDGE SECONDARY 75.8
• WITTEBOME HIGH 79.9
• WOODLANDS SECONDARY 54.8
• WYNBERG BOYS HIGH 100
• WYNBERG GIRLS HIGH 99.5
• WYNBERG SECONDARY 87.4
• ZEEKOEVLEI SECONDARY 91.3
• ZISUKHANYO SECONDARY 67.5
• ZWAANSWYK HIGH 93.3

Matric Pass Rate 2015: EDEN AND CENTRAL KAROO DISTRICT

The Eden and Central Karoo District received a 85.2% pass rate – a 5% increase:

• ALBERTINIA HIGH 100
• AURIAL COLLEGE 82.9
• BASTIAANSE SECONDARY 67.7
• BEAUFORT-WES SECONDARY 79.3
• BRIDGTON SECONDARY 89.4
• CALITZDORP HIGH 93.8
• CONCORDIA HIGH SCHOOL 68.2
• DE RUST SECONDARY 92.1
• DYSSELSDORP SECONDRY 80.4
• FEZEKILE SECONDARY 93.5
• GEORGE SECONDARY 82.5
• GERRIT DU PLESSIS SECONDARY 70.2
• GROOT-BRAKRIVIER SECONDARY 91.1
• HAARLEM SECONDARY 89.5
• HEIDELBERG HIGH 100
• HILLCREST SECONDARY 90.1
• IMIZAMO YETHU SECONDARY 68.3
• INDWE SECONDARY 70.1
• KAIROS SECONDARY 94.1
• KNYSNA HIGH 100
• KNYSNA SECONDARY 79.5
• LADISMITH HIGH 97.0
• LADISMITH SECONDARY 90.4
• LAINGSBURG HIGH 90.9
• LANGENHOVEN GIMNASIUM 99.3
• LANGENHOVEN HIGH 100
• MANDLENKOSI SECONDARY 88.4
• MORESTER SECONDARY 95.7
• MURRAY HIGH 66.0
• MURRAYSBURG HIGH 57.1
• OAKDALE LANDBOUSKOOL 100
• OUDTSHOORN HIGH 98.4
• OUTENIQUA HIGH 99.7
• P.W. BOTHA KOLLEGE 93.9
• PACALTSDORP SECONDARY 78.4
• PARKDENE SECONDARY 77.5
• PERCY MDALA HIGH 86.8
• PLETTENBERGBAAI SECONDARY 73.8
• PUNT HIGH 100
• SAO BRAS SECONDARY 85.9
• SENTRAAL HIGH 98.3
• SHALOM AKADEMIE 100
• THEMBALETHU SECONDARY 74.3
• UNIONDALE HIGH 97.4
• WITTEDRIFT HIGH 100
• YORK HIGH 100
• ZWARTBERG HIGH 98.3

Matric Pass Rate 2015: CAPE WINELANDS REGION

The Cape Winelands received a 83.6% pass rate - a 0.3% increase from 2014.

• AL-AZHAR INSTITUTE OF PAARL - 100
• ASHTON - 95.2
• ASHTON SECONDARY SCHOOL - 67.5
• BELLA VISTA HIGH - 80.6
• BERGRIVIER SECONDARY - 87
• BLOEMHOF HIGH - 100
• BOLAND LANDBOUSKOOL - 100.0
• BONNIEVALE HIGH - 100
• BRANDVLEI YOUTH CENTRE - 66.7
• BREERIVIER HIGH - 81.5
• BRIDGES ACADEMY - 87.5
• CERES SECODARY - 73.8
• CHARLESTON HILL SECONDARY - 61.2
• CHARLIE HOFMEYR HIGH - 100
• CLOETESVILLE HIGH - 78.6
• DE KRUINE SECONDARY - 95.2
• DE LA BAT-SCHOOL - 100
• DESMOND MPILO TUTU SECONDARY - 77
• DROSTDY HIGHER TECHNICAL SCHOOL - 100
• ESSELENPARK SECONDARY - 79.9
• FRANSCHHOEK HIGH - 96.9
• GIMNASIUM HIGH (PAARL) - 100
• GOUDINI HIGH - 90.3
• GROENDAL SECONDARY - 81.3
• HEXVALLEI HIGH - 100
• HEXVALLEI SECONDARY - 77.1
• HOER JONGENSKOOL PAARL - 100
• HUGENOTE HIGH - 99.4
• IHLUMELO JUN SECONDARY - 63.8
• IINGCINGA ZETHU SECONDARY - 51.7
• KAYAMANDI SECONDARY - 85.5
• KLEIN NEDERBURG SECONDARY - 93.3
• KYLEMORE SECONDARY - 72.9
• LA ROCHELLE MEISIES HIGH - 100
• LABORI HIGH - 97.5
• LANGEBERG SECONDARY - 82.2
• LANGERUG SCHOOL - 50
• LUCKHOFF SECONDARY - 69.8
• MAKUPULA SECONDARY - 75.2
• MASAKHEKE COMBINED - 59.2
• MCGREGOR WALDORF SCHOOL - 100
• MONTAGU HIGH - 98.0
• MONTANA HIGH - 97.8
• MOUNT VIEW EDUCATION CENTRE - 83.3
• NEW ORLEANS SECONDARY - 84.1
• NOORDER-PAARL SECONDARY - 85.3
• PAARL GIRLS HIGH - 100
• PAUL ROOS GIMNASIUM - 99.6
• PAULUS JOUBERT SECONDARY - 87.7
• PIONIER-SKOOL - 50
• RHENISH GIRLS HIGH - 100
• ROBERTSON HIGH - 98.8
• ROODEZANDT SECONDARY - 84
• SKURWEBERG SECONDARY - 61.2
• STELLENBOSCH HIGH - 100
• STELLENZICHT SECONDARY - 50.6
• TERSIA THERON PRIVAATSKOOL - 100
• TULBAGH HIGH - 100
• VAN CUTSEM COMBINED SCHOOL – 75.9
• VUSISIZWE SECONDARY - 53.4
• WAVEREN HIGH - 53.7
• WELLINGTON SECONDARY - 77.6
• WELTEVREDE SECONDARY - 75.6
• WOLSELEY SECONDARY - 78.9
• WORCESTER GIMNASIUM – 98.9
• WORCESTER SECONDARY - 81.9

Metrorail not always to blame

November 2015 will be known as the worst three weeks for Metrorail since the double derailment at the beginning of 2014. Early in November the rail operator announced a section of the Northern Line would be closed for critical maintenance work to be done. 

Ten hours before that section was due to open, I asked - on the WhatsApp group that I have since been removed from – if maintenance work is still on schedule. I was told a section manager is on duty. 

At 9pm I cautioned Metrorail – in the Whatsapp group – that there is no way a normal service would operate that Monday morning and that all possible contingency measures be put in place without any delay.

Sadly and to the biggest inconvenience of thousands of commuters, Metrorail only realised that Monday morning, too late, trains will be delayed. The failure by Metrorail to act sooner and implement better contingency measures led to not only everyone arriving late at work, but many students unable to write their exams.

I wrote to Transport Minister Dipuo Peters stating that the continuous errors are unacceptable. “My email is not a plea to discuss matters in a boardroom but to implement solutions and take action without any delay”. I also asked the minister to request a detailed report and if it shows any wrong doing corrective action being taken. Now this is where I commend the minister for her speedy response and for requesting that report from Prasa. I wish to also apologize to the Prasa Group CEO and Metrorail Regional Manager for changing the agenda of their scheduled meeting.

Thursday 12^th November, Regional Manager, Richard Walker, took two trains with me. Even though he travelled undercover to assess the service for himself, the RM also engaged with commuters. While we both agree it is wrong and dangerous, as a commuter himself he understands why some commuters would keep a train door open. He understands why people smoke on a platform but says Metrorail cannot disobey the law of the country that smoking in public is illegal.

Our second train was delayed by a few minutes and in the ten minutes we were at the station there were no announcements. The Regional Manager called the Acting Customer Service HOD to inform him there are no announcements. He also questioned electronic boards not working, why loud hailers are not used and other issues – some of which have been addressed and solutions implemented, like platform 1 being used at Bellville.

Walker says for some things there are explanations but Metrorail should be honest about the service and not make excuses for it. Communication and customer service is not negotiable; these are things that should be in place. On the train itself we walked through the carriages, with Walker making mental notes since he arrived at the departure station. And to those wondering: yes he bought a ticket at his start station and handed it in at the destination station.

Sadly the rest of the Regional Manager’s management team does not see the importance of them taking a train and engaging with commuters when the service is critical and commuters experience massive delays.

The minister has since received her report and I have been shared some of the content. 

The massive delays the past three weeks is thanks to Transnet who take forever to do maintenance. 

Transnet has not prioritized maintenance work to be done between Paarl and Kraaifontein, repairing vandalism and stolen cables. Have to state though Transnet being centralised is the reason for the delay. One should welcome the maintenance done at Bellville but criticize Transnet for not communicating with Metrorail. 

Had there been better communication between the two SOE’s that Sunday afternoon, things would not have been chaotic the Monday morning.

While Transnet should be held accountable for this month’s chaos, minister Peters and her Public Enterprises counterpart, Lynn Brown, can apply corrective measures. They can do this by approving the transfer of the lines from Bellville to Wellington and Bellville to Strand from Transnet to Metrorail. This will allow Metrorail to not wait on Transnet but do repairs without any delay.

On the interim the solution is what I identified and suggested more than a year ago: better communication to commuters, different Metrorail departments to work together and communicate better and for better communicate to, with and from Transnet. Note the latter should come from Ministerial level and not regional level.

Currently goods trains get preference between Wellington and Bellville and this have on many occasions led to delays of commuter trains when the goods trains fail in section.

Things that neither Metrorail/Prasa nor Transnet will admit though is that money speaks and Transnet will get preference as they generate more income than Prasa – even if every single person in the overcrowded train have a valid ticket.

So what is the solution? Government will have to decide what is more important: freight or people. What should be kept in mind when answering the question is that the thousands of commuters on trains contribute towards the economy and every minute many of us are late, not only do we lose out on income but our employers lose out on production and the economy ultimately suffers.

Metrorail is not always to blame, but Metrorail should take responsibility for their customers and account.

Is dit tyd dat #GuyFawkesMustFall?

’n Week gelede is Guy Fawkes weer met talle vuurwerk gevier.

Ek kan egter nie help om te wonder hoekom word die dag in Suid-Afrika gevier nie.

Ek het ’n paar mense probeer vra en die antwoord was by almal maar min of meer dieselfde: “Ons doen dit nog al die jare so.” Maar nou hoekom iets doen waaroor ons kla en ’n klomp geld wegskiet?

My vriend, Google, vertel my dat Guy Fawkes-dag ’n jaarlikse herdenking is wat op 5 November veral in Groot Brittanje gevier word. Die dag dateer terug na 1605 toe dit ’n openbare vakansiedag daardie kant van die water geword het om ’n mislukte moordpoging op Koning James I te vier.

Suid-Afrika is nou wel een van die Statebondslande en daar is talle van ons landsburgers in Brittanje.

Maar is dit dan nou nog ’n rede vir ons om elke jaar “bonfire” te hou?

So bietjie meer as twee dekades gelede was ek ook kind en het ons ook vuurwerk geskiet.

In my kinderjare het ons ook honde gehad en dié was ook bang vir die klappers.

Kyk ons so 20 na 25 jaar in die toekoms, dan moet ons erken in 2015 het die bevolking gegroei.

Waar voorheen dalk ’n oop veld in ons buurt was, is nou huise en anders as toe ek ’n tjokker was, het klappers gevaarliker geraak.

In my dag was ons gelukkig met ’n klapper-stringetjie en dit was vinniger verby as wat jy gesukkel het om dit aan die brand te kry.

Ons het ook sulke klein wit bomme gehad en die goed het net geraas gemaak as dit voor jou voete gegooi word. Dan is daar die sterretjie, maar ek sien dit word deesdae by ’n bekende eetplek gebruik as jy verjaar.

Ons was nie as kinders toegelaat om die groot klappers, soos ons dit geken het, te koop nie. Die man by die winkel het jou baie mooi gesê gaan kry jou ma of pa en dan het Ouma maar saam gegaan.

Ons kon ook nie die groot klappers self skiet nie. ’n Volwasse persoon moes ons daarmee help, want jy gaan seerkry. En dan het ons maar met die wit bomme en klapper-stringetjies gespeel en gewag.

Tye het verander en vandag se kind wil alles self doen en daai kind gaan sukkel tot wat gedoen moet word, reg gedoen is.

Die kind in my is nie gekant teen klappers nie, maar wel die onverantwoordelikheid wat saam met dit gaan.

Dat vuurwerk iets mooi kan wees, is iets waarmee ek gaan saamstem. Maar voorvalle van kinders wat op Guy Fawkes dag brandwonde opgedoen het, was twee dekades aansienlik minder as vandag. Op die vooraand van Guy Fawkes dag vanjaar het ’n seuntjie homself baie lelik beseer.

Talle mense het ook brandwonde op hul hande opgedoen as gevolg van klappers. Ek het ook op Guy Fawkes-dag gehoor van iemand wat buite sy woning vermoor is, die mense binne die huis was onder die indruk dit is net klappers wat geskiet word.

Die prys van die klappers is ook nie meer wat dit was nie. Ek kon destyds van ’n R1 ’n boksie wit bomme koop. Nou gaan ek seker meer as R10 moet uitgee net vir gewone klappers.

Dit laat my wonder, afgesien van die veiligheidsaspek, is dit dan nog bekostigbaar om klappers te skiet. Ironies genoeg val Guy Fawkes in die tydperk van matriekafskeid – en dan praat ek nie eens van “breaking-up” by die werk nie. Dan is daar ook nog die registrasie by skole vir die volgende jaar en sommige begin aankope doen vir Kersfees.

Een van die goeie dinge van Guy Fawkes is dat dit my leer wie is regtig diereliefhebbers. En het nooit geweet so baie van my vriende, wat nie eens ’n hond het nie, gee om vir honde. Talle van my vriende op sosiale media was ook baie uitgesproke oor #GuyFawkesMustFall, maar nou wonder ek hoeveel van ons vertel ons geliefdes van die gevare van die klappers en hoeveel van ons gaan skiet dit by afgebakende gebiede?

Twee dekades gelede was ek gelukkig met R20 se klappers. Ek twyfel sterk of jy nou gaan wegkom met minder as R100 se klappers.

Dit maak dat ek myself dan weer vra, is dit nog bekostigbaar om Guy Fawkes te vier?

• Hierdie rubriek het oorspronklik in Paarl Post van Donderdag 12 November 2015 verskyn