A group of Pretoria commuters set two train carriages alight on Thursday after impatiently waiting for a delayed train to get moving, said Metrorail.
Metrorail spokesperson Thokozani Zitha said the carriages were set on fire near Mamelodi, east of Pretoria, shortly after 6am on Thursday.
”A driver had noticed that there was a fault on the railway line and technicians were called to the scene at the Greenview stop near the Mamelodi Gardens station,” said Zitha.
Zitha said that because the train had stopped commuters became impatient, and began throwing stones at the technicians.
”Some threw stones at the technicians while others set the carriages on fire. We were able to save a third carriage,” said Zitha.
The two technicians as well as three commuters who sustained cuts to the heads were taken to hospital.
Zitha said that buses where shuttling commuters to work.
”Because technicians are still testing the infrastructure, a shuttle-bus service has been provided to take commuters to work.”
Police spokesperson Inspector Paul Ramaloko said that a case of malicious damage to property had been opened. – Sapa