The Gautrain Management Agency and Bombela are in discussions to start with the full service operations between Johannesburg and Pretoria “as soon as possible”, a statement said on Wednesday.

Gautrain Management Agency CEO Jack van der Merwe said on Tuesday that water seeping through the walls of the Gautrain tunnel between Park station and Rosebank station was delaying the introduction of the train service from Johannesburg to Pretoria.

Bombela said that the seepage did not affect the safe operation of trains, as was confirmed by Railway Safety Regulator issuing a safety permit on Monday.

Nonetheless, the concession company said that additional engineering work to reduce the seepage of groundwater was envisaged.

Bombela had already submitted a plan for the implementation of these works to the Gautrain Management Agency.

“These works may include drilling small diameter holes through the tunnel lining and injecting grout into the surrounding rock. This will reduce the permeability of the rock mass and thus reduce the water which enters the tunnel drains,” said Bombela.