Solution: secure rail system

SORRY Minister (Blade) Nzimande, we can’t wait till September, act now.

Minister Nzimande said on Friday he will hold an imbizo on the current rail situation.

One day after his announcement another train burnt at Cape Town Station in the same place as last week’s case of arson. Another train was burnt in Retreat earlier this week. When there is a crisis all the Ramaphosa administration wants to do is hold seminars, conferences, meetings and imbizos. We don’t need to find out what is happening, it’s already happening for everyone to see. We need intervention before there are no trains left. The solution is simple, secure the rail system. If you are not a commuter or employee, you should not be on the station platform or on the rail tracks. People are literally using our rail system to dump bodies in the Cape Flats.

Minister Nzimande should immediately request the re-establishment of a rail police unit and in the interim request that the army protect certain sections. This will allow the police and security to focus on safety on trains and stations.

What the minister can do immediately is to root out the corruption in the Passenger Rail Agency of SA that diverted funds from improving rail services to connected cronies. South Africans are suffering due to the high cost of living and the loss of another train makes it more difficult to access the only truly affordable transport service. BUSISIWE LANGA, Khayelitsha