Prasa appalled by attack on commuters and assets by strikers
Prasa is upset about the attacks by Saftu members on train commuters.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) is appalled by the reckless and criminal attack of Metrorail commuters and the destruction of property by Saftu members.
In a statement, Prasa said that Saftu had hired the services of Metrorail to transport its members to the march returning in the afternoon.
In the morning, Saftu members mobilised at Elandsfontein Station where they started chasing commuters and passers-by.
Prasa security addressed the members and gave them an ultimatum to behave in a civil manner or Metrorail would be left with no choice but to cancel the train service.
The return leg in the afternoon was marred by even more violence against commuters and infrastructure.
Various incidents of violence and intimidation by Saftu members were reported against commuters on a train bound for Springs where Saftu members disembarked and attacked commuters on the platforms as the train stopped to pick up passengers.
When the second train transporting Saftu members also bound for Springs,arrived along the same route, passengers retaliated, which resulted in a brawl.
In another incident, two Saftu members were injured as fighting broke out between passengers and Saftu members on a train bound for Pretoria with one train also transporting Saftu members bound for Kwesine Station was vandalised.
Incidents of physical attacks against commuters were reported at Johannesburg Park Station, Jeppe Station and Cleveland Station where a total of seven Metrorail commuters, four of them women, were attacked by Saftu members.
The injuries sustained include severe head injuries, a dislocated shoulder and two sprained ankles as a result of customers being deliberately pushed out of the train by Saftu members.
Saftu members also destroyed one glass access gate at Park Station.
“Prasa is appalled by the criminal and reckless behaviour of Saftu members against innocent commuters and the destruction of government property.
“The attack on our commuters is completely unwarranted especially since the commuters were not obstructing Saftu’s right to strike.
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“Unfortunately, the rights of commuters to safe travel were violated by Saftu and this is unacceptable.
“Our core mandate is to operate trains through Metrorail, however, such incidences of criminality force us to prioritise our commuters in future,” said the Prasa acting group CEO Lindikaya Zide.
The injured passengers were taken to various hospitals for treatment while Prasa security worked to calm the situation at various areas of unrest.
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