Torching of trains remains a mystery

ONLY 37 of 88 trainsets currently transport about half a million commuters in the Western Cape.

This means there are now more trains out of order, than trains moving on the tracks.

Many were damaged the past three years in train fire incidents.

Metrorail has since October 2015 in nearly 30 separate incidents lost a shocking 146 train coaches.

The organisation #UniteBehind reckons there is reason to believe a syndicate is behind all the fire incidents.

“The attacks are well planned and executed and there is never any arrest,” says Matthew Hirsch, a spokesperson for the civil rights organisation.

Ricardo Mackenzie, member of the Western Cape standing committee on transport, says: “Clearly there are individuals out to cause pandemonium.”

His colleague Cameron Dugmore agrees a syndicate is a strong possibility.

Dr. Blade Nzimande, national transport minister, on Friday viewed the damages to the trains and literally scratched his head when he said there are many motives for the torching of trains.

Steve Harris, general secretary of the transport union Untu, says overcrowded trains and delays are worsening by the second.

“Those behind the torching of trans are taking bread from the mouths of families.”

After the past two fire incidents – only ses days apart – questions are being asked if it is not politically motivated. It however appears as if no one is willing to address the elephant in the room.

Hirsch mentions: “the slow progress with investigations mean the motives remain a mystery.

“It is highly likely that the deeds are committed by state capture networks.

“The recent kidnapping of Khanyisile Kweyama, chairperson of the Prasa Board, should also not be seen in isolation from the train fire incidents.”

In only the past 6 weeks 23 train coaches were destroyed.

Richard Walker, regional manager of Metrorail, says after last week Saturday’s fire on Cape Town station, a carriage at the same station was discovered with petrol spilled all over the seats.

Mackenzie says: “The sabotage of so many trains is a clear indication commuters and trains are not safe.

“This can only be resolved with more security on stations and in trains.”

According to a safety report of the rail safety regulator 69% of all railway-safety-related incidents are theft.

“Compared to 2015/2016 there has been an increase of 13% in safety-related incidents and 14% in the amount of deaths, that are directly linked with an increase in crime,” reads the report.

Nzimande says there are no plans to call in the army, for this problem.

“Prasa spends alot of money on security, but we don’t get any value for our money.

“To safe guard trains does not only mean carriages, but also the lives of commuters.

“The Cape Region is now a priority and a taskteam must report back by end of August with proposals for solutions.”

Sibusiso Sithole, group chief executive office of Prasa, says plans were to bring new trains to the Western Cape in 2019. After the torching of trains the past week he says those plans are now being reconsiderd.

HONEST

#UniteBehind says Prasa already admitted to them that there are no plans to bring new trains to the province in the next few years.

“Torching of trains cannot be used as excuse. Prasa should be honest if they want to restore commuter confidence,” says Hirsch.

On social media commuters are fed-up for “Metrofail”.

The Western Cape and in particular Cape Town, is without a safe, effective and reliable rail transportnetwork, experiencing it’s biggest challenge yes, means Dugmore.

“The current service is a threat to employment security. Thousands arrive late for work and people pay more to travel.”

Mackenzie says he is not just happy. “I am angry!

“If I am disappointed by the service I have alternative means. There are thousands who don’t have.

“Staff at stations are uninformed and some irritated to help commuters. Just in the week I asked how delayed my train would be and was told: ‘it’s coming, just wait.’

“Metrorail should not wait for everything to go wrong before they communicate with commuters.”

• This article originally appear in Afrikaans in Son op Sondag of 29 July 2018