Prasa failing over its promises
OFFICIALS from Metrorail Western Cape visited the family of 32-year-old Keletone Mashaba who died after an attack on commuters on train 3427 close to Stellenbosch at about 10pm on Friday.
Mashaba and eight others were thrown from the moving train by a group of armed attackers.
Metrorail spokesperson Zino Mihi said the injured commuters lived close to one another in Kalkfontein, Kuils River.
“The families and the victims of the incident were offered counselling by Metrorail officials in hospitals,” added Mihi.
The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it was deeply shocked by the murder, robberies and brutal assaults on Metrorail passengers between Lynedoch and Eerste River at the weekend.
President of the chamber Janine Myburgh said it was disappointing that the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) was failing in its commitments to upgrade safety and security on trains.
“The details of the attack are sickening and reveal that criminals have a level of contempt for train security and vulnerable passengers, that we have not seen before.”
She said the incident came at a time when the provincial and local government, and businesses had united to help Prasa and Metrorail deal with passenger safety and rail infrastructure sabotage problems.
Myburgh said Prasa had signed an agreement to contribute R16 million to a R48m project to train a new unit to enforce safety on the trains.
“The province and the city made similar commitments, and the city was busy training recruits at present, but Prasa had failed to come up with its promised contribution. “Prasa is fighting a losing battle.” Myburgh said the chamber supported the call for a state of emergency to be declared, so that more national resources could be released to counter the destruction and violence that had become part of the daily experience of commuters.