Cape Town – Golden Arrow Bus Service (Gabs) has offered a R50 000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the three men who robbed passengers at gunpoint on a bus travelling from Claremont to Mitchells Plain.
Gabs spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer said the incident took place just before 8pm on Tuesday and no injuries were reported.
“The three armed suspects, who pretended to be passengers, stole cellphones and other personal belongings from passengers and the driver.
"The matter was immediately reported to the SAPS. The issue of crime on board our buses is a complex one as we have over 1 000 buses on the roads doing multiple trips per day.
“Golden Arrow has instituted covert measures and increased our own security patrols in certain areas, and we are also exploring other options.
"We have been advised to be vague in this regard as information could easily fall into the wrong hands,” she said.
Dyke-Beyer said the company was taking the issue seriously and was working closely with law enforcement and the government as this was a public safety issue.
Disgruntled Gabs commuters took to social media calling for the company to send escorts to crime hotspots. They identified the Claremont-Mitchells Plain route as notorious, saying they had not seen security patrols there since last year.
One commuter said: “Gabs know about this route being targeted and they don’t make an effort to make it safer for their passengers - the people who keep the business going.
"Guess they only care about fares, while the innocent sit in fear, not knowing if it’s their bus (that will be targeted) next.”
Another user said she was left traumatised when two armed men boarded a bus en route to Mitchells Plain and robbed passengers last year.
The police hadn't responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.