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The alleged saboteurs, suspected of being behind the recent wave of torches, all used the same method: they claimed to be commuters before setting fire to the arrival of the train in the station
. Transportation and Urban Development Brett Herron, who said that he did not make the allegation of sabotage lightly.
"The alternative is that these are random opportunistic crimes for nothing, but when you see trains burned three or four times a week, every week, in the same way, it seems to me that there is someone, an organization, or a force that is trying to destroy our commuter train system, "he told News24 on Monday.
trains arrive at railway stations by somebody who is in the train, they light a fire and go out when the train arrives at the station, it is too well planned, too coherent and too frequent for it to be random. "
READ: Attacks on Cape Town Trains by Numbers
In the last three months, four trains have apparently been struck by arsonists. More recently, two cars were set on fire Saturday at Cape Town Station
On Thursday, five cars and power cables were damaged when a train was burned at the retirement station
R50m damage in one week
Last Saturday, two coaches were burned at the Cape Town train station and the wiring of the platform was damaged.
In May, a commuter was killed in a fire near Ottery Station while another suffered severe burns.
Last week – except last Saturday's incident – damage to trains and infrastructure exceeded R50m.
"The motive and who benefits is the question of R50m: why this campaign of destruction of trains?" Herron asked
WATCH: Burning train cars in Cape Town
Minister of Transport Blade Nzimande visited on Friday. South Africa Railway Agency (Prasa) The Paarden Eiland depot where he saw damage to the infrastructure of the state-owned enterprise during various arson attacks.
Herron, who accompanied the minister during his meeting with the authorities, said that Nzimande detectives and Crime Intelligence what could be behind the arson
149 cars lost to the fleet since 2015
"Crime Intelligence was not able to provide us with information, intelligence space to understand what could drive this."
According to Metrorail, six fires train were recorded this year. The province's train fleet has lost 149 cars since May 2015.
READ: Three railroad cars were set on fire at a Cape Town station
Herron stated that last year overnight – despite supposed strict security.
"It was a different procedure: it seems to be someone who is on board, who has a flammable material that can light a fire and get off the train." During the minister's visit, Prasa's chief of safety explained that the seats on older trains were made of highly flammable materials, added Mr. Herron, as the empty buses will be replaced, more fireproof materials will be used. [19659002] Aging infrastructure, cable theft, signaling interference and operational challenges already have an undesirable impact on rail service.
"Cape Town is already operating at a fraction of the capacity of the train, we have between 45 and 50 oars, there are at least 88.
"On the central line, which goes through Khayelitsha and other communities that really rely on the service, about 30 train They should work, they have eight.
Herron made a trip from Nolungile Station last year to evaluate the crisis.
His train was an hour late and a commuter advised him to jump on the roof
He was waiting for the next train, but a person who had tried his luck at the top of the bus that morning was electrocuted and died.
"The rail system – with a complete set trains running at a good frequency – could provide 1.4 million pbadenger journeys per day. It is currently 400,000. If we could bring more people into the trains because they are safe, efficient, regular and reliable, we would regulate traffic congestion, which costs the economy of the city $ 2.8 billion a year. "
[19459009EnfévrierMHerronaconvoquéunsommetsurlacrisedurailréunissantdesreprésentantsdelavilleduCapdugouvernementprovincialetdePrasapourdiscuterdelasécurisationdesinfrastructuresetdel'améliorationdelasécuritédespbadagers[19659002]
Each entity paid R16 million to finance the hiring of a hundred law enforcement officers.
They will be part of the city's police department, and will focus 40% on infrastructure protection and 60% on pbadenger safety.
Herron confirmed that the officers were in the process of being in charge. to be recruited and to be trained and ready to be deployed by the end of September
A railway working group was also established at the summit to manage the implementation of the new unit and to to monitor the rebuilding of the capacity of the Metrorail trains
Nzimande also requested seats for his department and the police table.He asked that a place be also reserved for the National Authority of Prosecutions
Herron welcomed the inclusion of the d National Department in the Project.
"It's Beyond Politics: Saving Our City If we thought [drought] was going to be a disaster for Cape Town, the collapse of the rail system would be bigger. "
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