Kempton Park Train Tragedy: Second Death Sparks Public Outcry
The Kempton Park train tragedy has returned to the spotlight after a second young woman died on the same stretch of railway line in Rhodesfield, near Kempton Park. The latest fatality happened on 12 January 2026, along the Germiston–Pretoria commuter rail line, at a location residents and a local councillor have flagged as dangerously unsecured.
What happened in Rhodesfield on 12 January 2026
A commuter train struck and killed a young woman at a point where pedestrians still reach an active rail line through gaps next to an incomplete boundary wall.
Officials and residents drew an unsettling parallel: a teenager died in almost the exact same spot about 13 months earlier.
- Date reported: 13 January 2026
- Date of latest fatality: 12 January 2026
- Location: Rhodesfield, Kempton Park
- Rail corridor: Germiston–Pretoria commuter rail line
- Core safety issue: Unsecured access next to an incomplete boundary wall
Why this death triggered public anger
Residents say the tragedy followed repeated warnings and months of unanswered requests for basic protections.
DA ward councillor Simon Lapping said both victims were young women and he linked the risk to pedestrian access and possible distraction from earphones. He stressed one point: people should not reach the tracks at all.
Local resident Ashika Pillay said the community has pushed for the wall to be completed, for a pedestrian bridge, and for the rail line to be secured, without success. She also argued that train operations resumed while the area stayed exposed.
“Safety assurances” and the accountability dispute
After the first fatality, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy gave assurances in December that PRASA and Transnet would be engaged and held to account over unprotected railway lines. The Department of Transport also indicated that remedial plans were being demanded and that PRASA was expected to provide a corrective plan.
Yet, more than a year later, the same stretch reportedly remains unsecured.
Who carries responsibility?
A Department of Transport spokesperson, Collen Msibi, said the PRASA board should answer why nothing changed. Lapping rejected that view and insisted accountability sits with the minister.
The site sits next to a half-built boundary wall that runs alongside the railway tracks, leaving direct pedestrian access to an active rail line. The wall forms part of Transnet’s rehabilitation programme in the area, and it has remained unfinished for years.
This detail matters because infrastructure upgrades often restart train movement, but communities still need barriers, clear crossings, and safe alternatives for pedestrians.
Bigger picture: rail safety numbers show a wider pattern
The Kempton Park train tragedy also fits a national risk pattern: people get struck by trains with alarming frequency.
The Railway Safety Regulator’s State of Safety reporting for 2023/2024 recorded:
- 2,496 operational occurrences, linked to 85 deaths and 181 injuries
- 64 deaths and 49 injuries recorded as “persons struck by trains” (PSBT)
The same reporting highlights that PSBT incidents concentrate in a few provinces, with Gauteng listed among affected areas.
What residents and commuters want next
Community demands in Kempton Park focus on practical fixes with clear deadlines, plus visible enforcement that includes:
- A complete the boundary wall and close informal access points
- Fencing and signage along exposed sections
- A pedestrian bridge or formalised safe crossing
- A corrective plan with dates and a responsible project owner
- Regular progress updates to residents
Where to report unsafe rail access or safety concerns
If you need to report an unsafe rail area, raise a complaint, or report an incident:
- Railway Safety Regulator (24/7 call centre): 0800 444 888
- Department of Transport switchboard: 012 309 3000; email: info@dot.gov.za
- Minister correspondence email: TransportMinistry@dot.gov.za
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