Cape Times reports that following a spate of robberies and attacks on Metrorail employees and commuters, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) will use armed security guards on Cape Town’s central line.
Metrorail said the move was in response to threats in operating areas, where the emergency services were prevented from attending to life-threatening situations. Metrorail train driver Pieter Botha was shot dead during a robbery at Netreg station last year. Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said the parastatal estimated that it would be spending about R800,000 a month on security. However, she stated that the use of armed security guards would not serve as a “sustainable solution”. Scott called on all communities to work with the police and other law- enforcement agencies to report crimes.
- Read this report by Byron Lukas in full at Cape Times
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