Second Gauteng train burnt

A second train has been torched in Gauteng, Metrorail said.

The train, from Johannesburg's Park station en route to Vereeniging via Midway, was burnt on Tuesday night.

Metrorail CEO Mosenngwa Mofi said 14 coaches had been burnt, with losses estimated in excess of R70 million, since the beginning of the National Transport Movement trade union.

"Our investigations suggest that arson is the root cause of the fire, as has been the case in the other incidences."

He said intelligence at the company's disposal confirmed that these were planned activities whose sole purpose was to disrupt the Metrorail service.

"They operate in cells around the country with the intent to paralyse the Metrorail system without any regard to the lives of innocent commuters and damage to public assets that runs into millions."

He said a case of malicious damage to property had been opened in January against the leadership of the National Transport Movement and further the union and its members had been interdicted against damaging property, amongst others.