Cape Town - Passengers on Metrorail trains can feel a bit safer after 26 suspects were successfully arrested and convicted for various crimes between August 19 and September 2.
Hotspots such as Lentegeur, Bellville, Retreat, Kuilsriver and Philippi were targeted in recent weeks seeing the arrests for various crimes such as robbery, cable theft, malicious damage to property and drug trafficking.
Acting Metrorail spokesperson in the Western Cape, Nana Zenani gave a breakdown of the successes made.
“Further arrests were also made by the Western Cape Security patrol teams in the Bellville/Parow area, Peter Barlow and Bellville and Oostersee hotspots over the past 72 hours.
“The patrol teams responded to a massive fire at the back of Regional Train Control Centre and a nearby substation in Bellville,” said Zenani.
Zenani said teams even caught suspects in the act of burning cables.
“On arrival, the team noticed three suspects sitting near a fire with copper cables burning on the flames,” said Zenani.
“The patrol team further investigated the area and discovered more signal cables that were abandoned at the scene. One suspect managed to escape while two others were apprehended and handed over to SAPS.
“Another patrol team at the Peter Barlow hotspot were conducting a routine patrol along the railway line at the Glenhaven a when the local Neighbourhood Watch reported that they saw suspects cutting cable on the railway line at Peter Barlow.
“The security team conducted a search of the area and apprehended two suspects hiding in the bushes with approximately 25 meters of stolen cables. The suspects also pointed out more stolen cables cut from a nearby mass pole.”
Zenani added that the Western Cape security team would continue to partner with communities in combating the theft and vandalism of Passenger Rail Agency Of South Africa's assets along the network, which included the assistance of neighbourhood watch teams and vigilant community members.
“This includes neighbourhood watch organisations and ordinary community members who contribute significantly towards not just gathering intelligence but also in assisting when arrests are made.
“This is demonstrated by the successful arrest of two suspects who were caught in the act of digging up Metrorail cables.
“Vigilant community members reported seeing suspects carrying spades and walking in the direction of Oostersee Station which has been classified as a vandalism hotspot.
“A criminal case has been opened against the two suspects.”
She added that the security team will host a series of informative workshops with various neighbourhood watch organisations and community forums of Kuilsriver.
“The workshop will educate these community organisations regarding The Criminal Procedures Act, Criminal Matters Amendment Act and Crime Preventive Strategies.
“The workshops will also be extended to areas within the Western Cape that are situated near Metrorail operational lines.”
Byron De Villiers, chairperson of the Lentegeur Community Policing Forum said they have been battling to receive vital information to curb vandalism and drug activity at their train station.
He welcomed the arrests and said police officers would regularly check local scrap yards operating from people’s homes.
“We are happy for any results due to vandalism, drugs and trafficking.
“Our police station is located quite close to the police station and we have mobilised a lot of walks there with the neighbourhood watch.
“The problem that we have is that people see what is happening but they fail to report it. Many know who the culprits are.
“These scrap yards are making profits from the vandalism.
“We have started the initiative to let a police officer do regular patrols and searches at local scrap yards to see whether there is any infrastructure,” he said
Weekend Argus