Cape Town train commuters are in for a rough ride this week after 11 carriages of two train sets were gutted in an arson attack at Cape Town Station on Sunday afternoon.
Metrorail says operating services will definitely be affected.
“Metrorail confirms a fire incident at Cape Town Station on Sunday afternoon at approximately 3.30pm,” says spokesperson, Daphne Kayster.
“Fire and Rescue Services attended the scene and the fire was extinguished at 7.12pm. Eleven carriages of two train sets, which were stationary at the time on platforms 13 and 14, were totally gutted and a further two carriages partially burnt.
“No injuries were reported. The extent of the damage and the cost of rolling stock repairs is currently estimated at R33 million.
“It is anticipated that the latest fire incident will affect services from Tuesday onwards as we now have two less train sets to service our timetable on the Cape Flats line - with cancellations and overcrowding expected.”
Metrorail is offering a reward of R25 000 for information securing a successful conviction of the arsonists.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister, Blade Nzimande, condemned the attack, saying: “It is now undeniable that there is a sinister force at work trying to destroy our rail system.
ROUGH RIDE: Two train sets were set alight innie city
“It is also clear that this force is relentless and determined to reverse the ANC government gains and efforts being made to modernise Metrorail service, particularly in the Cape Town metro corridor.”
The minister called on Law Enforcement agencies to arrest the perpetrators.
The City said Cape Town Station has been the target of at least SEVEN separate arson incidents since July 2018.
Mayco member JP Smith says: “I will be calling the Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Jula, as well as the Prasa and Metrorail management teams to a meeting to provide me with an urgent update on this critical matter as the public of Cape Town needs to know that we will still have trains left by the end of the year.
“The City of Cape Town has previously offered to connect Prasa’s CCTV cameras to our Transport Management Centre and monitor the footage for Prasa, and I will be asking for an update on this matter.”
He said while more than 40 carriages have been burnt in arson attacks since 2017, not a single person has been charged yet.