Advocacy group, #Unite Behind, says they want to highlight the lack of security systems at train stations to ensure the safety of commuters. The group is planning a mass protest in Cape Town later on Thursday against Metrorail’s poor services. They say train services have been negatively impacted by on-going arson attacks on trains, as well as the vandalising or theft of rail infrastructure.
Last month, several commuters were stabbed and thrown off a moving train in Stellenbosch.
#Unite Behind organiser, Zuki Vuka, says better security systems need to be put in place.
“The issue that we have is the burning of trains and no one really accounting for anything. There is no focus or level of seriousness. The second issue is safety on the trains, which has a direct impact on the commuters themselves. If there is someone to make sure that there are no people with weapons at the trains, we wouldn’t have people being thrown out of the trains. If there is security at the stations to make sure the infrastructure is taken care of, there is no one there starting a fire, we wouldn’t be having these issues.”
