Cops called in to assist Metrorail
METRORAIL’S technical teams conducted repairs under armed escort, fearing that criminals could launch fresh attacks on infrastructure overnight.
Thousands of commuters were left stranded after Metrorail suspended services to its central line.
This as a signal power failure at Bellville affected the northern line.
Vandals targeted several mini substations, cables and back-up batteries at the weekend.
Metrorail regional manager Richard Walker said police and law enforcement agencies had been called to support their protection services to secure the area to enable services to resume today.
“Our teams report from the site that they are being observed as they work.
“We are engaging with SAPS management on how to deal with the increasingly aggressive and destructive attacks on infrastructure.”
Golden Arrow Bus Services spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer said their services operated additional buses after their peak to assist Metrorail passengers. She said they did the same yesterday.
Mayoral committee member for transport and urban development Brett Herron said the City would deploy additional MyCiTi buses on the N2 express route that operates between Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha, and the Civic Centre station in the CBD should the need arise.
President of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry Janine Myburgh said it was time to ban the export of scrap copper and to treat metal theft as a serious crime.
Public Transport Voice (PTV) spokesperson Dalton Ndongeni said: “As the Public Transport voice we are totally shocked by this suspension of the services because it affects thousands of commuters who are in possession of the monthly train tickets.
“We feel as an organisation that there has been little action that has been done in order to deal with cable theft because it has been going on for so long.”
Metrorail has offered a reward of up to R25 000 that leads to a conviction and can be submitted 24/7 to Metrorail’s hotline 021 449 4336 or 5056.
METRORAIL Western Cape has announced the suspension of its service on the Central line, where there are no trains running on the Chris HaniKapteinsklip line.
As Public Transport Voice, we are totally shocked by this suspension of the service, because it affects thousands of commuters who are in possession of monthly train tickets, or any ticket holders who don’t have other means of transport to get to work.
We feel there has been little action done in order to deal with cable theft, because it has been going on for so long. We are calling for the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate this action of vandalism because it seems as to be an element of a third force, according to Prasa regional manager Richard Walker.
Public Transport Voice is a membership-based NGO based in Khayelitsha. We have several branches throughout the Western Cape, and continue to grow. Eventually, we hope to be a national organisation tackling public transport issues throughout SA. In June, we prevented the dreaded train price hike, for example. Additionally, we continue to meet with Prasa officials to discuss the future of the railways. Our campaigns are thoroughly researched. We ask the people what they need and use that to fuel our campaigns. Dalton Ndongeni Media and Communication Public Transport Voice