I don’t know specifically about those, but the theft of train tracks and overhead wires is creating havoc on overall train transportation in South Africa. I was on Rovos Rail last month. A trip that was supposed to be two nights (cpt-jnb) was extended to three nights so someone could check everything in advance. Then on the last day we got off at an abandoned station as overhead wires were stolen overnight and our arrival was pushed from 10 am to noon to 4 pm. I have no idea what time the train eventually arrived jnb.

This story from this month reports on the overall problem:
"Kilometres of railway lines and overhead cables are stolen, often in broad daylight, on a daily basis. According to the state-owned logistics operator Transnet, in November alone, more than 200km of heavy gauge steel rails were stolen across the country to be sold for scrap."

https://www.thenationalnews.com/busi...outputType=amp


Edited to add: I believe Shosholoza Meyl train operations were suspended indefinitely due to a speeding train that caused fatalities in 2020.