MY seun pendel daagliks tussen Wellington en die Kaap via Metrorail.
Op Vrydag 4 Maart is hy en ’n vriendin naby Mbekweni-stasie deur ’n mede-passasier beroof van hulle geld, beursies, selfone en bankkaarte.
Die skuldige, wat vermoedelik as pakker werk by ’n groot kettingwinkel in die Tygervallei-sentrum, het doodluiters hulle sakke begin deursoek naby Mbekweni, waar hy sou afklim.
My seun het hom verset, maar nadat ’n mes teen sy borskas gedruk is en twee ander passasiers aan die rooftog begin deelneem het, het hy die skuldiges beveel om te neem wat hulle wil.
Die roof het natuurlik plaasgevind ten aanskoue van ten minste twaalf ander passasiers, sonder dat daar ’n vinger gelig is om hulle te help. Nodeloos om te sê die ervaring was uiters traumaties vir albei die twee kinders.
By navraag het die betrokke treinbestuurder vermeld dat daar ’n SAPD-lid veronderstel is om op die trein te bly tot op Wellington-stasie. Dit gebeur egter selde en passasiers word aan hulle eie lot oorgelaat.
Volgens my seun is daar daagliks pendelaars op die trein wat openlik alkohol gebruik of rook op die trein of onder die invloed van alkohol of dwelms toegelaat word om op die trein te klim.
Dit blyk ook dat daar swak kontrole is oor kliënte en dat gebruikers wat derdeklas-kaartjies koop of selfs geen geldige kaartjie het, daagliks toegelaat word om eersteklas te ry of op die trein te klim.
As bekommerde ouer verneem ek graag wie verantwoordelik is vir die sekuriteit op Metrorail se treine, is dit die SAPD of die Metrorail-sekuriteitsbeamptes?
Daar moet dringend aandag gegee word aan die beveiliging van publieke transport sodat dit vir alle landsburgers toeganklik en veilig is om te gebruik!
Emmerentia Schultz
Metrorail’s regional manager Lindelo Matya responds: I am distressed and concerned to hear of this incident; particularly in the light of our success to significantly reduce crime within the rail environment.
I regret sincerely that Mrs Schultz’s son and his fellow passengers have had to be subjected to such behaviour. As a result of the strenuous efforts on the part of both police and our Protection Services crime has dropped significantly over the last five years.
We are obviously keen to continue the downward trend and will do everything in our power to ensure it happens.
I have requested an investigation into the incident and also await feedback from the commander of the railway police. We encourage the public to immediately report any incident on stations or trains to the nearest police station, our security staff or the closest railway police station.
Every bit of information contributes to a bigger picture which enables the police to be more proactive to identify strategic areas and respond to each and every incident reported.
The deployment of Railway Police, Metrorail Protection and Security Service employees and contract security is determined every week at a joint planning meeting between all the parties, based on reported incidents and security intelligence.
The closest Railway Police Station is at Bellville, tel: 021 940 3627/8. Anyone with any information regarding these incidents can also phone their information through anonymously to our all hours security line 0800 21 00 81. A reward of up to R25 000 is payable for information leading to conviction.
