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The Railway
Safety Regulator

RSR is a government agency established in terms of the National Railway Safety
Regulator Act, No 16 of 2002 (as amended) to oversee and enforce safety compliance
by all railway operators in South Africa, including those of neighbouring states whose
rail operations enter South Africa.

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OUR VISION

Zero Occurrences

OUR MISSION

To oversee and promote safe railway operations through appropriate support, monitoring and enforcement, guided by an enabling regulatory framework.

OUR VALUES

INTEGRITY & TRUST

We will instil confidence (i.e. belief, trust and faith) in our internal and external stakeholders through quality, professional and efficient service delivery.

TRANSPARENCY

We will openly communicate information.

INNOVATION

We will create a conducive environment that allows for the sharing and implementation of new ideas in line with the goals of the RSR.

FAIRNESS & EQUITY

We will ensure that we are consistent in applying policies and procedures and that we are impartial in treating all our employees by ensuring that we communicate effectively to all our employees.

SPEED OF EXECUTION

We will make prompt decisions and take appropriate action informed by organizational priorities.

RESPECT AND DIVERSITY

In doing so, we remain proud of our heritage whilst being consciously aware of our collective diversity and cultures. We therefore engage with and treat each other, our customers, as well as our work, with dignity and respect.

OUR MANDATE

The RSR regulates the railway industry through a legislative mandate by performing the following duties and functions.

  • Issue and manage safety permits
  • Conduct inspections and audits to critically assess safety systems and processes of operators
  • Investigate railway occurrences to achieve safety improvement and reduction of occurrences
  • Develop regulations, safety standards and related documents as an integral part of the regulatory regime adopted for the promotion of safe railway operations
  • Co-operate with relevant organs of state to improve safety performance and oversight function to eradicate duplication where there is dual jurisdiction
  • Issue notices of non-conformance and no-compliance to indicate conditions within the operators’ system that are deemed to be sub-standard or not in compliance with regulatory prescripts
  • Play a leading role in the alignment of the railway safety regime of South Africa with those of the Southern African Development Community railways
  • Promote and facilitate leading-edge research, including collaborative and interdisciplinary research, in areas related to the goals of the RSR

CUSTOMER CALL CENTRE

The RSR Customer Call Centre serves as a communication link between operators, the general public and the RSR. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The call centre records incidents; queries; complaints and requests for information from operators. Moreover, it serves the general public in recording complaints, occurrences, safety or security threats such as cable theft, signal failure or fire and it assists the general public with queries.

To report an occurrence or incident contact the call centre on 0800 444 888

(calls are free from landlines but not from cell phones). If you are an operator, use the National Information Management System (NIMS), using your credentials issued by the RSR.

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