Gautrain has suspended its train service between Rosebank and Park Station after illegal drilling on private property above a tunnel section caused soil and water to leak into it.

Gautrain said it had to pull buses out of other services to transport passengers between the two stations.

“The train services remain suspended between Park and Rosebank stations due to illegal drilling on a private property above the Gautrain tunnel.”

It furthermore said this has resulted in water and soil seeping into the tunnel, affecting train operations in this section.

“A bus service will operate at 15-minute intervals between the two stations from 05:30 and 20:00 as a contingency measure. We will keep you updated in this regard.”

Meanwhile, speaking to SABC News, Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) CEO Tshepo Kgobe said the company is embarking on legal action against the perpetrators on the basis of multiple contraventions.

“The processes of legal action have already started. There are contraventions of by-laws. There are contraventions of the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act,” he said.

Kgobe explained that the Act prevents anyone from building anything within a servitude without consulting the Gauteng Transport MEC, Kedibone Diale Tlabela.

“In addition to that, the tunnel is a protected servitude. For you to build or dig a hole above the tunnel, you need our permission to do so,” he said.

Kgobe urged people in Gauteng to stop with “general lawlessness” and follow their local laws and by-laws.

Also read: Warning: Level 5 warning for heavy rain in Pretoria today

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