Angry commuters torch train at Fountains station
Disgruntled commuters torch a train at Fountains railway station on Tuesday, while a technician was repairing it.
Tshegofatso Ngobeni
Commuters disgruntled by a service disruption torched a Metrorail train at Fountains railway station on Tuesday evening, causing damage worth R10 million.
Gauteng Metrorail spokesperson Lillian Mofokeng said there was damage to a train, a motor-coach and trailers.
“The train was faulty and a technician was fixing it when it was torched,” Mofokeng explained.
“In the environment in which we operate, [with] old rolling stock and infrastructure older than 50-years, from time to time, we are bound to experience problems.”
She said these problems were fixed to ensure improvement and efficiency.
Commuters who resorted to torching the train, or at times assaulting train drivers and security guards will be dealt with as the Metrorail was working with police and its protection services to find them.
“We have seen our drivers and guards being assaulted in cases where there are train delays, this can never be allowed,” Mofokeng concluded.
This was not the only instance when Metrorail trains had been delayed this week.
On Monday, the hail storm caused a train from Eestre Fabriek to Mabopane to stall, and yesterday, cable theft grounded trains in Mabopane and Ga-Rankuwa.
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