Cape Town - It was the train ride from hell for 20 commuters in Cape Town who were robbed by a knife-wielding gang.
The passengers were robbed of expensive cellphones and laptops on Wednesday night on the Southern Suburbs line, one of the safest train routes in Cape Town.
Victim Lorenzo Darries, 29, says between six and nine men boarded the Metro Plus carriage on the train bound for Fish Hoek, just after 7pm.
Darries, who was on his way home from work in Goodwood, says they were attacked between Retreat and Steenberg stations.
“It was very traumatic,” a shaken Darries told the Daily Voice. “It’s the first time something like this happened to me.
“As the train arrived at Retreat station some people got off. About six guys got in and they were talking to each other and swearing. I heard one of them ask, ‘Are we going to do this?’ But I didn’t know what they were talking about.”
Darries said that as the train was leaving the station, three more men entered the carriage from the side door.
“A man who was sitting a few rows down had his laptop out but he put it away when he noticed the first group of guys,” he said.
“Suddenly one of them pulled out a knife and said ‘give your phone’, and threatened to stab people.
“One pulled the passenger’s laptop away when he didn’t want to give it. Most of them had big knives, like kitchen cleavers.
“My phone was inside my pocket but when I saw what was happening I decided to just give them what they wanted.
“As soon as the train stopped at Steenberg, they got out and ran off,” said Darries.
He said the men also grabbed some women’s bags but tossed them along the way as they ran off.
He said he was unable to lay a charge at either Steenberg SAPS or with the Retreat railway police.
“They told me to go to Kirstenhof police station,” he said.
“Metrorail said they increased their prices to upgrade infrastructure and security but where the hell is their security?
“I pay R340 a month for my ticket, but this is what the passengers have to go through,” he added angrily.
Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said only four of the robbed passengers have laid charges.
Scott said: “We again stress the importance of reporting all incidents to the police. Of the 20-odd commuters robbed, only four opened cases.
“We will be deploying additional resources to address crime on trains and stations.
“The most effective way to prove that additional resources are required is to be able to prove it through statistics – if it isn’t reported, it hasn’t happened.”
Scott added that Metrorail relied on commuters and the community to inform them of crime hot spots.
Daily Voice