W Cape transport MEC condemns cable theft incident

18 November 2015 - 21:56 By TMG Digital
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Donald Grant, the Western Cape’s MEC for transport and public works. File photo
Donald Grant, the Western Cape’s MEC for transport and public works. File photo
Image: SHELLEY CHRISTIANS

Western Cape Minister of Transport Donald Grant has condemned an incident of cable theft that caused train delays for more than an hour in Cape Town on Wednesday.

He warned that criminal acts would not deter the provincial government from its mandate of providing safe and reliable public transport to the people of the province.

“Early this morning‚ the Metrorail system suffered what is believed to be a repeat attack‚ targeting a multi-core communications cable. This most recent attack closely resembled an October 2014 attack where four metres of multi-core communication cable were also stolen at around 3am in the morning.

“This attack has again had a tremendous effect on service‚ and resulted in delays in excess of an hour‚” Grant said.

He appealed to those with information to come forward immediately and assist the SAPS in their investigation that “must lead to the arrest‚ successful prosecution‚ and conviction of those responsible for these criminal acts”.

Metrorail has offered a reward of up to R25‚000 for any information leading to a successful conviction.

“Thousands of commuters in the Cape Town Metro rely on public transport daily to get to and from their various destinations. We cannot continue to be held ransom by the actions of a few criminals who have a brazen disregard for the law and the needs of others.

“These criminal acts perpetrated by elements seeking to destabilise Metrorail must be condemned in the strongest possible terms‚ and must be met with severe consequences so as to deter them and other would-be criminals. To this end‚ we would support moves aimed at imposing harsher penalties on criminals who steal cables and threaten and pose a threat to the Metrorail system‚” Grant said.

“We commend Metrorail for responding so quickly to these latest attacks‚ and working round-the-clock to ensure that normal service is restored‚” he added.

TMG Digital.

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