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Photo: Ian Landsberg
Metrorail will beef up its security by hiring 100 former SANDF members, installing CCTV cameras and using “tactical response units”.
Metrorail’s Riana Scott said on Monday that the ex-soldiers would be employed by Metrorail Protection Service, the operator’s internal security force, would wear black uniforms, and would make up the “strategically placed tactical response units”.
Western Cape regional manager Lindelo Matya said: “The rail operator’s remedial strategy includes the use of technology, additional human resources, revised operational tactics and close operational collaboration with its strategic public transport partners.”
The unit members would monitor the CCTV cameras placed “so as to integrate with other surveillance cameras in nearby areas”.
The rail system now has 100 railway police, 130 permanent Metrorail Protection Services officials and 900 contracted security officers working in two or more shifts.
Meanwhile, the alleged saboteurs of Cape Town’s railways services have been identified – and are allegedly none other than private security guards hired to protect Metrorail lines and trains.
This breakthrough came after “painstaking investigations by police”, which resulted in 26 arrests last week, Metrorail said.
They uncovered “an orchestrated onslaught on Metrorail to destabilise the train service”, leaving the embattled Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain rail corridors, in particular, in crisis.
“Information point to this being a deliberate plan by individuals whose contracts were terminated at the end of December last year, to force Metrorail to absorb them into
its workforce,” said Metrorail.
Metrorail said it had obtained an interim court interdict against 367 ex-employees of various private contractors.
The interdict would be made a permanent order of the court tomorrow.
“These individuals have been barred from Metrorail train coaches and carriers; entering and/or entering on the property of Metrorail, including and not limited to the areas in the rail reserve, stations and train coaches and carriers; and interfering with, intimidating, threatening and/or harassing commuters, the applicants employees and/or any third party engaged to provide a service to applicant.”
In a meeting late last week between the City of Cape Town, the provincial government, Metrorail, Golden Arrow Bus Service and the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it was acknowledged that Metrorail was in “a very severe crisis” due to its systems, rail assets and trains being vandalised and sabotaged.
This had led to 73 train cancellations and 2 503 delays since November.
Transport MEC Robin Carlisle announced the establishment of a new task team that would oversee all passenger rail matters, starting last Friday.
“It’s a breakthrough,” he said on Monday.
This was because resources from the province, city and private sector would from now on be lined up to support the rail service.
For example, if Metrorail reported that a line was out of service, this team would rapidly liaise with Golden Arrow to have buses sent out.
Traffic officers would help to ensure that the buses arrived swiftly, using traffic police on motorcycles, to ensure smooth traffic flow.
Carlisle said a Joint Operations Centre would now include Metrorail, the police and the city, and that they planned to have all CCTV cameras linked to a common network to ensure a closer eye on the city’s trains.
On the train saboteurs, Carlisle said he had been given information that Metrorail was “at war” with about a third of its 900 train guards, who were managed by nine different companies.
sibusiso.nkomo@inl.co.za - Cape Argus
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Selvyn Adams, wrote
Why would Metrorail hire only 100 ex - soldiers to upgrade their security, whilst there are so many other (ex-soldiers) sitting at home without employement. Maybe they should concider hiring another 400 for full support. There is alot of us with skills in various positions such as Logistics and Human Resource, just to name a few.
Anonymous, wrote
Ms. Scott & MEC - You do not travel by train on a daily basis, so you know "JACK" of what you're talking about. You only care for the Southern line, what about the Central route (Cape Town to Khayelitsha) where you forgot that approximately over 60% of Cape Town travels from. We are robbed and harassed because the trains are full, if at all they run. When I have to stand at the station from as early as 6am, and only get to work many a-times just after 8 if not 9..You sir & madam are very, very ignorant & disappointing to Capetonians especially blackcoloured people!! For the past year and half I have been late at work every day because of your idiotic ways, ever since PRASA took over the services, it has gone down to the shambles. Where I come from there are no Golden Arrow bus services running to any destination except weekends – we have petitioned!! And you pride yourself of the oldest township in Cape Town. People are angry out there, we are suffering, we get fired, we can’t afford petrol and suburban lives to be near work. You don’t “bloory” pay us enough!! People are mad and we will prove to you that we can be like Gauteng other Provinces where they burn the trains!!! Maybe we should visit you Mr. MEC at 9 Dorp Street, because Ms. Scott is never at her office!!
Anonymous, wrote
Anon, wrote
Metrorail's pathetic service has nothing to do with DA or ANC or any political party for that matter. I put it down to complete and utter demotivation from the people who interact daily with the commuters, and sheer incompetence from the Metrorail managers on all levels. They're the most slapg@t bunch of individuals I've ever encountered! To think that a peak-hour train can be cancelled and an hour later, none of the station managers on all the stations of the cancelled train's route still dont know that it happened! On top of this, the security that Metrorail employs are only there to secure the interests of Metrorail - not the commuters. They'll check if you have a ticket (usually once in the week following payday) and then sleep around on the platform for the rest of the month. So now instead of having a handful of bad employees, they've got an extra 100 ex-SANDF staff who will soon be corrupted by their system.... a classic case of sending good money after bad.
Michelle Alice Roberts, wrote
I would love to see the city's plan is going to work? What about the time their employees striked for a week. We were all left stranded, their were no buses to transport passengers, I stood in queues for hours whilst pregnant and had to fork out additional transport money? I think their crisis is also partly due to mismanagement or lack thereof. This morning an employee was glancing at my ticket at CPT station while chatting on her cell phone...I wonder how many non ticket holders got past her?
Anonymous, wrote
mike, wrote
Is this part of the general political strategy to make conditions in Cape Town as bad as possible, in order to bring the DA into disrepute?
koos, wrote
That is a good move they must bring it to johannesburg, I like it brilliant idea create some jobs.
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