Gautrain bid winner announcement postponed

THE Gautrain Rapid Rail Link Project has announced it has postponed the announcement of the successful bidder until the end of May 2005, two years later than the initial date. The announcement was to be made at the end of April, but had to be postponed due to “the complexities of the evaluation process”. Gautrain, with its planned 10 stations, will provide an 80km long rail service between Gauteng’s major hubs, namely Sandton, Pretoria and Johannesburg International Airport. Construction is planned to begin in October this year and the train should be open to passengers by 2010. (Natalia Thomson)