Arson behind one of three train fires, say Cape Town police

Of the three fires that burned trains in Cape Town within three hours on Friday, at least one of them was an act of arson, police spokesperson Andre Traut confirmed to SABC News.

Reports of fires at Firgrove station, Mbekweni station and Cape Town station were received on Friday afternoon.

According to Traut, a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed at Mbekweni station, and that this train was set alight. The act of arson was committed while the train, which was stationery, was set to be investigated by police.

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Thousands of commuters were left stranded after the trains were set alight.

Western Cape premier Helen Zille said earlier this month that arson damage to trains in the last four months was about R50 million, and at least R210 million in the past five years. These amounts were revealed before yesterday’s fires.

Prasa requires 88 train sets to run an effective service. Due to arson, cable theft, and vandalism, the available sets are down to below 40 – fewer than half the number required.

Only two people have been arrested and no one has been convicted for torching train carriages in the Western Cape in the last 10 years, Zille said.

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