The latest wave of train torchings has cost Metrorail an estimated R200-million, leaving the company with no more trains to run between Gauteng’s Midway and Vereeniging stations, spokesperson Thandi Mlangeni said on Thursday.
”It has cost us in the region of R200-million,” Mlangeni said as crews cleared up the gutted remains of at least 28 coaches torched between Soweto and Vereeniging on Wednesday night.
Commuters upset over train delays set 28 coaches alight on Wednesday evening at the Midway and Nancefield stations.
On Tuesday, four carriages were burnt out at Residentia station in Vereeniging by people also frustrated by delays, this time caused by cable theft.
This means that the company does not have any trains to run between Midway and Vereeniging.
”We are shocked, and condemn it in the strongest possible terms. We understand that to be angry is anybody’s right, but it is irresponsible to burn trains and to burn public assets,” Mlangeni told the South African Press Association.
She told the Mail & Guardian Online: ”There is no amount of anger that justifies the torching of the trains. Passengers only waited for 20 minutes. One doesn’t really know what their motive is.”
Mlangeni said many people become frustrated every day in traffic and with taxis, but no one jumps out of their car to torch them.
”That doesn’t happen,” she said.
Minister of Public Enterprises Alec Erwin on Thursday condemned the attacks.
”The minister has described these incidents as totally unacceptable and warned that such behaviour will not be tolerated,” public enterprises spokesperson Gaynor Kast said.
Collen Msibi, the national spokesperson for the Department of Transport, told the M&G Online that his department also condemns the attacks.
Msibi added that the department understands that commuters are frustrated in terms of delays, but that ”the law must take its course”.
”Even the Cabinet has said it’s going to act quite harshly towards people who are involved in these kinds of things,” he said.
Technical fault
Mlangeni explained that there was a technical fault in Midway, which affected signals, and trains could not move, causing a 20-minute delay.
”We could not move those trains, otherwise we would put the commuters’ lives in danger. Passengers started getting off the train and burning it.”
This had a knock-on effect, causing delays in Kliptown and Nancefield.
”And passengers torched those trains,” Mlangeni continued.
There is no public address system inside the trains to inform commuters of developments. But, said Mlangeni, ”even then we don’t think that [action] is justified”.
Security was present at stations around Gauteng on Thursday and, said Mlangeni, the South African Police Service and the metro police have been very supportive.
Soweto police spokesperson Captain Mbazima Shiburi said police there are on standby.
”Nothing is happening now, but we are on standby. We are a stone’s throw away from the area,” he said.
Transnet, the company that owns Metrorail, joined the growing condemnation of the torching of R200-million-worth of trains.
”We are seriously disturbed by it and condemn it,” spokesperson John Dludlu said. ”We regret the effect of the delay on commuters and are quite aware that some people are losing their jobs. We fail to see how this [burning a train] can help.
”We think it is totally unacceptable and would like to urge the public to cooperate … by condemning these acts as well and to cooperate with the law-enforcement agencies to find these people.”
Company executives were meeting on Thursday to address the situation and were working with police and other law-enforcement agencies.
”We will take steps necessary to make sure the offenders are brought to book and, to improve security.”
Appeal for support
Metrorail Wits regional manager Salani Sithole appealed for the support of community leaders and business partners ”while the public rail system is under threat” and said employers should take note of the effects on their workers.
Sithole said Metrorail will work round the clock to repair overhead cables, signals and communication lines.
”During this time of repairs, Metrorail calls upon its loyal commuters to cooperate with us and use alternative means of public transport,” he said.
The company will assist by operating a shuttle service between Suurbekom and Oberholzer, from where a normal train service will be operational via Randfontein.
After Midway station, the line splits to head for either Vereeniging or Westonaria.
Commuters who witnessed the acts have been urged to come forward and assist police with their investigations.