City and Western Cape Government condemn violent protests that resulted in Metrorail trains being set alight
21 September 2016
Approximately 150 000 commuters have been affected this morning, 21 September 2016, by the temporary suspension of Metrorail’s central line service due to the violent destruction and sabotage of vital public transport infrastructure, stemming from unrelated protests that have spilled over into the rail network.
The City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government condemn, in the strongest terms, the violent protest action in Langa that has seen multiple Metrorail train carriages being set alight, and serious damage caused to apparatus cases, track boxes, and signalling equipment. The damage is estimated to run into millions of rands.
Not only have these actions completely crippled the rail network’s operation on the Khayelitsha/Kapteinsklip corridor, but they have also threatened the safety of commuters and placed Metrorail employees at risk. On advice from the South African Police Service (SAPS), Metrorail has had to suspend trains from all stations in the central service corridor until further notice.
Our law-abiding residents who leave their homes in the early morning hours to be in time for work and school are held ransom by people who have no regard for the law.