‘He put a knife in my face’
|Published
Almost 1 000 trains were delayed in Cape Town in the past week because of an increase in vandalism and load shedding. File photo: Rogan Ward Almost 1 000 trains were delayed in Cape Town in the past week because of an increase in vandalism and load shedding. File photo: Rogan Ward
Cape Town - Metrorail’s trains have been hit by another daylight robbery this week, with passengers threatened at knifepoint.
The railway company is meeting with police to figure out how best to tackle the wave of terror that has been sweeping across its tracks as criminals target passengers, stabbing or using a stun gun on those who fight back.
Johan du Toit was travelling from Cape Town to Newlands on Wednesday at about 7.40am. At Cape Town station, with stories fresh in his mind of the most recent attacks, in which a gang of men boarded a southern line train armed with stun guns and knives, he had noticed a few men behaving suspiciously on the platform.
“But I thought, hey, it’s peak time – I should be safe.”
However, when the train passed Woodstock station, three men in the near-empty carriage pulled “long knives” from their backpacks and began threatening commuters. “He put a knife in my face and said to give him my phone.”
Du Toit had been texting on his Samsung Galaxy S4. He handed it over.
Last month, when Jacques Sasman stood up to two robbers who boarded a train just outside Woodstock station, he was stabbed six times. His wrist was almost severed by a blow aimed at his chest.
Du Toit said two other passengers, including a college student, were robbed.
“Where is the security?” he said after the attack. “I’m okay, shaken, but okay… I find myself thinking, how can this happen during peak time?”
He had lodged a complaint with Metrorail. It was the first time he had been robbed since he began taking the train to work in October.
Spokeswoman Riana Scott confirmed that the incident had been reported to Metrorail. “Regrettably there has been another incident recorded.”
Over the festive season, commuters were targeted by robbers just outside the Woodstock station several times. There were 52 incidents aboard Metrorail trains during December and last month.
Over the past two weeks, another eight arrests have been made and Metrorail has encouraged commuters to report all incidents and any suspicious behaviour to police.
Scott said Metrorail would meet police by on Friday, and the most recent incident would be at the top of their agenda.
Maya Moodley, a passenger aboard the Metrorail train that was terrorised by a gang of men wielding knives and stun guns last month, said Metrorail had improved security on her line.
“It has been noted that security is undoubtedly required as their presence is of definite value to the commuters in the trains on this particular line.”
Cape Argus