Women in transport celebrated as Minister Sileku rides with PRASA train driver
Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku, recently spent about an hour in the driver’s cab with PRASA Western Cape train driver Nikita Maarman, travelling with her from Cape Town Station to Fish Hoek and getting a first-hand look at the responsibility of safely moving thousands of passengers across the Cape Town rail network.
Nikita, who is from Mitchells Plain, started working in rail in 2009. For the past 17 years, she has spent countless hours driving trains across the Cape Town rail network and helping passengers get safely to where they need to be.
Her working day can start as early as 04:00. Before the train leaves, she checks the day’s safety information and prepares the train for the journey. Once on the move, she has to stay focused on the signals, speed and stations. She also needs to be ready to react quickly because things can change in a split second. It is a big responsibility because every train carries hundreds of residents who rely on the service.
Nikita is one of 65 female train drivers working across the Western Cape rail network. While rail is still largely seen as a male-dominated industry, things are changing. More women are finding opportunities to work and build careers in rail.
Nikita wants young women, especially those from communities like Mitchells Plain, to know that they should not be discouraged from entering the industry.
“What I enjoy most about this career since I started back in 2009 is the daily responsibility of getting people safely to their destinations and knowing that women have a strong, visible place in this industry. Coming from Mitchells Plain, I want young women to know that you can do everything you set your mind to.”
To become a train driver, candidates need a Matric qualification with Mathematics and Science, followed by 18 months of training that includes both classroom work and practical training.
Minister Sileku said joining Nikita in the driver’s cab gave him a better understanding of the responsibility that comes with driving a train.
“When you sit in the driver’s cab and see how many residents depend on this train to get from from one place to another, you realise that this is about much more than driving a train. It is about people’s lives and opportunities. Nikita represents the many women who get up every day and do the work that keeps our province moving. Women are not only the backbone of our families. They also help grow our economy, keep our communities safe and build a better future.”
Minister Sileku added the Western Cape Government will continue working with PRASA Western Cape and other partners to improve passenger rail services.
“We want rail to become the backbone of an integrated public transport system in the province. For residents, a reliable train service means being able to get to work, school and essential services and return home safely.”
Nikita’s story is a reminder to young women across the Cape Flats and the rest of the Western Cape that there is a place for women in rail and across the wider mobility sector.
Media Enquiries
Byron La Hoe
Acting Media Liaison Officer to Minister Isaac Sileku
Western Cape Mobility Department
Email: Byron.laHoe@westerncape.gov.za