Barry Streek
Despite spending R119,4-million on private security firms, last year Metrorail lost between R150-million and R170-million in fare evasion and a further R62,1-million in theft and vandalism.
Minister of Transport Dullah Omar said R21,97-million was spent on repairs caused by theft and vandalism on trains and a further R40,3-million in theft and vandalism to other assets, which includes R30,5-million in Pretoria where the local station was seriously damaged by fire.
Omar, who was replying to a question tabled in the National Assembly by Tommy Abrahams of the United Democratic Movement, said most theft and vandalism occurred in the Western Cape where R8,2-million was spent on repairs to trains, compared with R7,5-million on the Witwatersrand, R4,9-million spent on trains in Pretoria, R1,2-million in Durban and R148 240 in the Eastern Cape.
“The losses estimated to have been suffered by Metrorail due to fare evasion are in the order of R150-million to R170-million.”
Omar said the Cabinet had already mandated the Department of Transport and the Department of Safety and Security to look into the matter and proposals in this regard would be released at a later stage.
“Notwithstanding that initiative, I am mindful of the need for an effective and visible as well as undercover security deployment on trains and stations
“It must be noted that public transport management is being devolved to provinces and local [metropolitan] authorities.
“All elements that form the public transport logistics chain need to be well coordinated and managed as one unit in dealing with this matter,” Omar said.