About 161 people were injured when two Metrorail trains collided in Soweto on Wednesday evening, said Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Malcolm Midgley.
A train rear-ended a stationary train at Merafe station in Naledi following a power failure.
Midgely said the injured commuters had sustained ”minor injuries” and had been taken to hospital. The accident happened about 7.30pm.
Metrorail spokesperson Brenda Motau said both trains were from Johannesburg, going to Naledi.
She said the accident occurred when one train crashed into a stationery one which had stopped when the power went off.
”Initially we had thought it was due to the power failure but now it’s not so clear what exactly caused the accident,” said Motau, adding that the company would launch a full investigation.
She said among four badly injured people were the train driver and the guard of the stationery train. Motau said Metrorail officials had accompanied the injured to
the hospital to get their details in order to contact their next-of-kin. She said the accident scene would be cleared by Thursday morning and that other commuters would not be inconvenienced. – Sapa