TimesLive reports that the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (CCCI’s) response to Metrorail's decision to suspend services on the busy central line in Cape Town on Monday was that “the criminals have won."  

They had "sabotaged and killed a vital train commuter service that provided a transport lifeline for the communities most in need of affordable public transport", said CCCI president Janine Myburgh.  Mayoral committee member for transport and urban development Brett Herron said he was not surprised by the collapse of Metrorail's services.  Thousands were left stranded, many unable to get to work, after Metrorail said "months of sustained vandalism" from cable theft and destruction of infrastructure forced it to suspend the city's busiest train line.  On Monday afternoon, thousands of commuters joined long lines at the Cape Town taxi rank.  Metrorail regional manager Richard Walker said technical teams were doing repairs - accompanied by armed guards - to try to get services ready to resume on Tuesday.

• Read this report by Aron Hyman and Farren Collins in full at TimesLive

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