A Golden Arrow passenger has described in horror how their bus was attacked by brick-wielding protesters who then robbed them while the bus driver fled.
The 36-year-old woman from Mitchells Plain had been travelling from Claremont when all hell broke loose on Tuesday just after 7pm along Var- kensvlei Road in Philippi.
Golden Arrow confirms protesters had stoned the bus and threatened to set it alight.
Spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer says the driver had taken a different route to avoid a violent protest on Jakes Gerwel Drive near Samora Machel.
“Golden Arrow can confirm that an incident occurred on Monday in which one of our buses was stoned by protesters who were threatening to set the bus alight. The bus driver attempted to drive away from the scene, but was unable to.
“Protest action presents a significant challenge to Golden Arrow’s ability to render its services as this occurred when the driver was using a diversion to avoid protest action on the scheduled route.”
The incident has been reported to SAPS, she says.
The commuter says the robbers got onto the bus after the driver fled, leaving the door open.
“When we headed to the bridge towards Varkensvlei, a very big group of people came running towards the bus with bricks and stones in their hands,” she says.
“The driver tried to, but he couldn’t reverse fast enough. We saw the bus’s doors open and the next thing we knew the driver was gone.”
She says a man armed with a brick took her cellphone. Other commuters were robbed of cellphones and handbags.
“The windows were shattering and everyone was panicking.”
She says commuters ran back to Old Lansdowne Road.“We got another bus and told the driver what happened.”