Train commuters face a bleak year ahead as ongoing vandalism and arson attacks are crippling the rail agency and it seems to be getting worse with no relief in sight.
The latest train fire on Saturday between Kentemade and Century City train stations, which burnt six carriages and one motor coach, sees Metrorail down to only 31 working train sets for the entire Cape region.
The rail company says it requires 84 train sets under normal circumstances.
In addition, the Central Line - Metrorail’s busiest line which services commuters between Kapteinsklip and Chris Hani stations - has been out of action since November last year, and will remain suspended until at least April 2021, according to newly-appointed Prasa administrator Bongisizwe Mpondo.
TROUBLES: New PRASA administrator Bongisizwe Mpondo.
Restoring the line would cost over R1 billion, Metrorail regional manager Richard Walker said.
Metrorail spokesperson, Riana Scott, says they’ve suffered damages of over R150 million due to arson attacks over the past two years.
“In 2019, 39 carriages burnt and in 2020, seven carriages have burnt. This resulted in the estimated amount of damages to R155.5 million.
“Damages to trains lead to longer travel times, fewer trains and overcrowding for commuters,” Scott says.
Due to the suspension of the central line, Metrorail is also suffering a further financial loss as they sell nearly half a million tickets per week on these lines.
The acting CEO for Prasa, Zwelakhe Mayaba, said it was just too difficult to keep services running.
“The services were decimated by the continued theft of rail components and immeasurable damage to essential infrastructure, in particular, overhead electrical lines making it difficult to render a safe service.
“The Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain services remain suspended indefinitely.
“The Sarepta-Bishop Lavis via Bellville line is operational,” Mayaba said.
COST: Richard Walker says damage is over R1b
Scott says the Metrorail Protection Services (MPS) in conjunction with City’s Rail Enforcement Unit (REU) to try and end the scourge of theft and vandalism has brought some relief.
“MPS have made more than 380 arrests in 12 months,” she says.
“Both MPS and REU conduct autonomous and joint operations and for these reasons their successes are accounted for separately.
“MPS has assisted to finalise 36 court cases, resulting in 306 and a half years jail terms imposed.”