Cape Town - A Strand mother is upset with Metrorail after she and her family were forced to climb platforms, scale walls and carry an elderly woman out of Parow Train Station over the weekend.
Gail October, 53, says every Sunday her family takes a train from Strand to Parow to attend church, and two months ago they arrived to find the station’s gates locked.
She thought it was an isolated incident, but says when they arrived at the station on Sunday shortly before 12pm, they were irritated to find the gates locked again.
“We got there and the gate was just locked. We asked the security guards what was going on and they just said they don’t have the keys.
“So we had to jump off the one platform, walk across the railway line, climb up another platform and scale walls to get out.”
The angry mom says a woman in her 60s was among the commuters and was unable to climb, so they all helped her.
Samaritans help a woman in her 60s out of Parow Station. Picture: Daily Voice
“My husband and another man helped her because she was travelling alone and wasn’t steady on her feet. But they carried her all the way and helped her out,” says Gail.
“I was really shocked because it is very unsafe and we can be hurt like this.
“What about the elderly woman? If she had to do that on her own, she could have hurt herself. It is very dangerous.”
Metrorail spokesperson, Zino Mihi, says according to a manager from Area North, the gates at Parow station are open on Sundays, but the matter will be further investigated.