ANA reports that City of Cape Town mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, Brett Herron, said on Sunday that the Metrorail system in the city was in jeopardy as the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) had failed to pay to protect rail commuters.  

He also asked Transport Minister Blade Nzimande to declare a state of emergency or disaster in so far as the rail service in Cape Town was concerned.  Herron express my condolences to the family and loved ones of the man who was killed during a horrific attack on commuters who were travelling on the train between Lynedoch and Eerste River on Friday evening.  Eight other commuters were also robbed of their belongings and thrown off the train.  Herron said this latest incident prompted him to publicly express his exasperation with the fact that Prasa had to date failed to pay its part of the funding that was needed for the special rail enforcement unit that the city was currently training.  In May, Prasa signed a memorandum of agreement and committed to co-fund the special unit together with the city and the Western Cape government.  According to Herron, Prasa's contribution of R16 million was still awaited, even though the city has sent several urgent reminders to the Prasa executives to fulfil their duties and to honour their commitment.  Herron also said he had written to Nzimande asking for his urgent intervention to ensure that Prasa paid the R16 million needed to fund a fully operational rail enforcement unit.

• Read this report in full at IOL News
• Read too, One dead, eight injured as armed gang attacks commuters on Cape train, at IOL News
• And also, Rail agency blames deadly attack on train commuters on gang, at Cape Times

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