How BR Express coaches were bungled
Botswana Guardian has turned up new evidence suggesting that the government - through the troubled Botswana Railways (BR) - was under immense pressure when it finally received the incomplete coaches from South Africa’s Transnet Engineering.
The 22 coaches were received and launched last month by president Ian Khama in Lobatse. Even though allegations of corruption and malpractice were reported (and dismissed) prior and after the launch, the train experienced technical problems during its maiden trip. Information gathered by this newspaper indicates that Transnet was also under pressure to deliver the coaches within the agreed time with the client (BR), something that’s feared, compromised the coaches from undergoing all the required mechanical and electrical tests.
Initially the train should’ve commenced operations in December 2015 as promised by President Khama during a political rally a few months before the 2014 general election when he was launching Botswana Democratic Party Parliamentary candidate for Gaborone Central Rupert Hambira. At that time Khama promised the multitudes that attended the rally that Batswana would be using the passenger train during 2015 Christmas holidays after it was discontinued in 2009. In leaked information, Botswana Guardian has uncovered communications between officials from Transnet Engineering regarding completion and readiness for delivery of the coaches to Botswana. It has also been alleged that the 22 of the 37 coaches worth R280 million which were delivered for the launch were not complete when they left Pretoria, suggesting that all the engineering tests – electrical, mechanical and sign off - were not done by the quality department.
BR is said to have also not participated in the 2000Km fault free trip to ascertain the safety and quality of the coaches. The coaches were engineered and manufactured at Transnet’s Koedoespoort (KDS) and Salt River (SLR) facilities. In one of the documents titled Coach 85478 contains outstanding spares that were needed in Mafikeng urgently for completion of the coach.
These included among others, water filter pipe cab on the emergency brake side, control box for aircon (1), Orange box for aircon, lights covers (5), cover plates between steps and the head stock (4), 20x10 Amps relays, roof aircons (2), door striker plates (4) and all Decals for under-frame components (for example, water tank, retention tank and filtration system).
Botswana Guardian is in possession of emails exchanged between officials at Transnet Engineering conversing on how they should speed up things so as to meet the client’s requirements and try to safeguard Transnet Engineering’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)’s status. One of the officials - a Technologist (mechanical) in the Product Development Department, Rodney Orsmond told his colleagues in an email on the 11th of March 2016 that “I hereby recommend that a census be conducted on the incompletion statuses of all the coaches with the current design status, after which a formulated plan be compiled that will substantiate the actual completion dates of the required coaches. All the dates promised thus far have only been pies in the sky and therefore never materialised. Please also take note that it is impossible to complete all the coaches on the same date, meaning that a reasonable amount of coaches should have been completed and signed off by now.”
In the same email titled ‘Unibody-Botswana Coaches / Incomplete aircon type tests on Bot 4’ it is revealed that only 1½ days of the five day sitter coach type test process have been completed. “The request yesterday was to shunt the coach into Bay 39 so that a condenser fan problem can be checked and corrected but in the process it was hijacked to do slew and weight distribution tests instead. Please take note that the initial written request was that a mechanically and electrically completed coach was required so that the aircon type tests can be conducted uninterrupted.”
It was also requested that a communication be made when the coach will be available in Bay 39 so that SME (the Air-conditioning Company supplier) can be communicated accordingly after which the tests need to be continued at the shore supply at S9. “Please also take note that due to the double glazed window design of the coaches it is imperative that all the air conditioning systems type tests (sitter, sleeper, buffet, and power car) are completed successfully before the coaches are coupled in a train consist for the final combination tests powered by a power car. It should also be noted that the trainset couldn’t be delivered to Botswana unless all the relevant tests have been successfully completed. Please also take note that water leaks were exposed while the coach was standing in the rain”, reads part of the email.
The technologist expressed his opinion that if they are serious about engineering, product development and business then they should seriously consider the damage that delivery of incomplete/poor quality coaches can cause Transnet Engineering’s reputation and OEM status. He said only non-learning organisations would not be concerned. It has further been discovered that in a race against the deadline a team was put together from Transnet Engineering, Product Development Coaches (PDC), SME and other contracted supplier which worked extended hours in the second week of last month. Some of the team leaders from Transnet according to gathered information were of the opinion that without the coach business success they will have no jobs.
According to the documents each coach type (sleeper, buffet, baggage, power car) was to undergo a series of type tests as stipulated by the client; the complete train set must undergo a series of tests (including a 2000km fault free trip) as stipulated by the client; the test and commissioning specification (PD-PDC-NAT-PROC-0002) be loaded on SAP for perusal and all testing must be backed-up with documented proof.
Reached for comment Minister of Transport and Communication, Tshenolo Mabeo said they are currently involved in a commissioning with engineers from Transnet in every trip of the train. “This allows us to tick to identity the problems that are in the coaches. This will give us opportunity to see whether the product is the one that we wanted. If we are not satisfied with the coach we will send it back because we have a two year warranty. This is something in contractual (agreement),” explained the minister. He denied that the coach delivered was not complete.
He added that the remaining coaches will be delivered next month (May) and the same process of commissioning will be done. Transnet Engineering Corporate Affairs Executive, Zodwa Mashishi had not responded to a questionnaire sent to her. She however in a follow-up email communication responded that she has shared the questionnaire with the company’s official spokesperson’s office, who she believed was out of office travelling. “I will however follow up and find out possible response time from this office,” she said.
