A man, accused of torching trains in Cape Town, appeared briefly at Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. The charges against him relate to the burning of two trains at the Cape Town Train Station during the Easter Weekend.
The damage to the 12 coaches is estimated at R33-million. Thobela Xoseni was arrested on Monday after Prasa officials identified him from surveillance footage.
Meanwhile, civil rights group #Unitebehind has called on the President and Transport minister to declare the situation a national disaster.
“We want radical action because we are tired of those things. The president and transport minister is not taking this seriously those things are sabotaged because the minister of transport is not electing a permanent board, that interim board does not have the power to rule Prasa,” says #UniteBehind organiser, Lumkile Sizila.
Xoseni’s case is likely to be transferred to the regional court due to its serious nature. He’s been remanded in custody and will be sent for mental assessment.
The case is due back in court on the second of May.
Metrorail says damages from burnt trains over the past few years run into millions of rand.
