THE PHELOPHEPA IS ON THE MOVE: Transnet sponsor two mobile health clinic trains (PHELOPHEPA means "Good Clean Health" in Sotho) that travel through South Africa and provide extra healthcare for disadvantaged communities. This includes general healthcare, low cost medicines and AIDS councelling & avoidance as well as specialities such as optometry, dentistry and psychology. Routes and schedules are decided on for the year and are advertised to the target communities well in advance. Typically, the train will stand over at a selected station for a week or two while healthcare is dispensed and is then moved to the next place during the weekend so as to be ready on Monday morning for the next group of patients. Here, the train's 18 coaches/700 tonnes need 3 Class 35 diesels to move it over the steeply graded line to the rural center of Caledon, where it will stand over for two weeks. For PHELOPHEPA details go to http//www:transnetfoundation.co.za/Health-Phelophepa.aspx
