The Gautrain project in South Africa
A cautionary tale
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11423391 |
|---|---|
| Authors | David P Thomas (0000-0002-3888-5196, Mount Allison University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2013 |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 77-94 |
| Publication date | 2013-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Contemporary African Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0258-9001 • E-ISSN: 1469-9397 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/02589001.2013.747292 |
| OpenAlex | W2040358674 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
| References cited | 13 |
This article analyses the recently completed Gautrain Rapid Rail Project in the province of Gauteng, South Africa. The Gautrain is the continent's first high-speed rail project, and constitutes an important case in transportation megaproject planning. The article discusses the potential merits and limitations of the project, and ultimately argues that several key problems with the Gautrain should provide readers with a cautionary tale regarding such endeavours. Benefits to the project, such as reduced traffic congestion and job creation, must be weighed against the social and political implications of the project. Thus, the article discusses the following potential problems with the project: it may deepen mobility-related exclusion in the province; it prioritizes wealthy, as opposed to poor, citizens in the allocation of public funds; costs for the project have escalated considerably from initial estimates; and other options for a more effective and integrated transportation plan were not sufficiently considered. This case study conforms to what scholars call the megaprojects paradox in significant ways, and suggests that more rigorous and transparent debate should precede the approval of such projects
Business · Economics · Management · Megaproject · Plan (archaeology · Political science · Politics · Project management · Law · Public Administration · Public-Private Partnership Projects · Underground infrastructure and sustainability · Urban Transport and Accessibility
The role of private finance in infrastructure development in South Africa—A critical assessment
Failed Fantasies in a South African Context
Youth Mobility in a Post-Apartheid City
Mobility Intersections
The Case for Public-Private Partnerships in South Africa
Transport Geography in South Africa
Advancing development projects through mega-events
Underestimating Costs in Public Works Projects
Black politics in South Africa since 1945
The reconstruction and development programme
Making the connections between transport disadvantage and the social exclusion of low income populations in the Tshwane Region of South Africa
South Africa's World Cup
Johannesburg transport 1905–1945
Mass rapid rail development in South Africa's metropolitan core
The allure of global games for 'semi-peripheral' polities and spaces
Transport and Popular Struggles in South Africa
Glitz, Glamour and the Gautrain
The 2010 Football World Cup as a Political Construct
| Unique citing works | 7 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,54 |
| Citation span | 2013 - 2025 (13) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 7 |