Train fires need ‘expert task team’
THE United National Transport Union (Untu) has called on Police Minister Bheki Cele to appoint a task team “with the best of the country’s expertise” to investigate who is behind the ongoing arson attacks on Metrorail trains in Cape Town.
Untu spokesperson Sonja Carstens was commenting after a fire destroyed 11 train coaches on platforms 15 and 16 at Cape Town central station.
“If the police won’t take immediate action to protect the trains of the Passenger Rail Services of SA, a state-owned enterprise like SAA, funded with taxpayers’ money, there will not be enough coaches left in the Western Cape to provide any service to commuters in Cape Town.”
The SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) expressed concern at the recurring damage to trains and condemned the latest incident.
This incident marks the fifth train fire in a space of two months.
“We are inclined to believe that these are deliberate acts of sabotage that are relentlessly pursued by sinister forces determined to halt train services at all costs irrespective of the inconvenience that this will have on business and commuters.” said Sanco spokesperson Jabu Mahlangu.
Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said platforms 15 and 16 would remain closed while their forensic teams investigate. .”It is still unclear if the train fire will impact Monday’s services. The estimated cost of damaged coaches is R30 million.”