Cape Town - Golden Arrow bus passengers travelling to Eerste River through Khayelitsha were robbed of valuables by two armed men in Spine Road, in Graceland, Khayelitsha, on Wednesday.
Golden Arrow Bus Services (Gabs) spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer said two armed men forced their way onto a bus that was loading passengers.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said according to reports, at approximately 6:40am, the driver stopped for passengers and as they got inside the bus, one unidentified man produced a firearm and another a knife.
Van Wyk said the men started to rob the passengers of their belongings and took an undisclosed amount of cellphones from the passengers and an undisclosed amount of money from the driver.
He said they then jumped out of the bus and fled the scene on foot.
“The docket will be transferred to Lingelethu West police station for further investigation as the incident occurred in their jurisdiction.”
Dyke-Beyer said a replacement bus was made available for the passengers, and that they have been working closely with the police in Khayelitsha, who have been boarding buses and conducting search operations as part of a joint operational plan.
"Unfortunately, we do not operate in isolation from the crime that plagues our society but we do hope to see further improvements as we continue to roll out interventions," she said.
Cosatu provincial secretary Malvern De Bruyn said they were disturbed by the incident on bus No 4581, which was en route to Melton Rose, Eerste River.
De Bruyn said Gabs did not care about their passengers and staff.
"Where are the 500 cameras and panic buttons they promised?" he asked.
He said Cosatu would be requesting another meeting with Gabs for answers. The union would also be meeting to discuss a possible plan of action against Gabs, said De Bruyn.
Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation is urged to contact the Crime Stop number 0860010111 or via the MySAPSApp.
Cape Argus