Johannesburg: The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has bolstered its internal security capacity with the swearing in of 400 peace officers. This brings the total number of PRASA Peace Officers to 686. The officers will be responsible for safeguarding rail infrastructure, ensuring the safety of commuters, and protecting the integrity of the rail network.

According to South African Government News Agency, the officers were sworn in in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act: SECTION 334, granting them similar arresting powers to those of the South African Police Service (SAPS) when performing their duties, including the power to effect arrests without a warrant. This empowers them to more effectively prevent and respond to incidents of theft and vandalism of rail infrastructure, as well as enhance crime prevention efforts at stations.

The milestone marks the successful completion of the Protection Services internal training programme conducted between May and September 2025. It represents a major ste
p forward in bolstering the fight against the theft and vandalism of rail infrastructure, while enhancing commuter safety across PRASA’s network. The training equipped officers with essential law enforcement knowledge and practical skills in crime prevention, incident response, documenting incidents, and maintaining law and order. All trainees were declared competent before being conferred Peace Officer status.

‘For PRASA, the conferment of Peace Officer status marks another milestone in our ongoing turnaround journey, which has seen a 93% achievement of our performance targets, the recovery of 35 of 40 rail lines, and a significant reduction in theft and vandalism incidents. With these enhanced powers, PRASA’s Protection Services can now place greater focus on safeguarding rail infrastructure, ensuring the safety of commuters, and protecting the integrity of the rail network,’ PRASA Acting Group Corporate Security, Alexio Papadopulo, said on Wednesday.

During the ceremony in Esselen Park, Johannesburg, the
officers took an oath and were officially granted expanded powers to perform their duties as Peace Officers. Under the Criminal Procedure Act, these powers include the ability to: arrest individuals without a warrant; issue written notices and summonses in terms of Section 56; execute warrants of arrest; and detain suspects and use minimum force where necessary.