Cape Town - The widow of a train driver who was shot and killed at Netreg train station in the Western Cape in July says the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) hasn’t kept its promise.
It was reported in July Piet Botha had been waiting for a train at the Netreg station in Bonteheuwel when he was shot in the leg and stomach during a suspected robbery.
His wife Tania Botha said Prasa promised at her husband’s memorial service to beef up security at the station in order to avoid such incidents from happening again.
“I was promised that I would be taken to the station once the security measures have been improved but since then no one has contacted me,” she said.
The mother of two said she wanted to see the security of the station taken seriously because she doesn’t want to see another family go through what her family went through.
Metrorail spokeswoman Riana Scott said immediate security issues at Netreg station had been addressed by the deployment of armed guards, additional security personnel and driver escorts when warranted.
She said infrastructural improvements to the station must follow due process.
The United National Transport Union’s (UNTU) general-secretary Steve Harris said they asked had Prasa at the time to urgently assess the safety of all its stations across the country and do a proper evaluation of the increased security needed to prevent similar incidents.
Tania Botha said she made numerous attempts to get answers from Prasa but to no avail. She said life was difficult because her husband had been the breadwinner.
“My family is stressed after losing my husband and now having the stress of finances is even more difficult.”
Weekend Argus