When will Minister Nzimande take action to protect Cape Town’s trains?
9 October 2018
I have just been alerted that yet another train carriage was set alight at the Cape Town station at around 12:30 this afternoon, 9 October 2018.
Thus far my calls on Mr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Transport, to declare a state of emergency concerning the sabotage and attacks on our passenger rail system have fallen on deaf ears. One must ask whether the Minister is waiting for a complete collapse of our urban rail service before he will take action.
Once again, Cape Town’s commuters will be severely affected by delays and disruptions to the service, and some may have to spend money on alternative modes of transport to get home after work.
Our urban rail system is operating at a fraction of the capacity it needs to service the demand. Over the past three years we have lost more than 140 carriages to fire.