Cape train crash revives painful memories

“It is as if the accident happened this morning.” These are the words of Gerty Willeman‚ who lost a child in 2010 when a taxi transporting school children collided with a train at a level crossing in Blackheath‚ Cape Town. Ten children died.

On Friday‚ history repeated itself when seven men were killed when their bakkie was hit by a train at the same spot.

The accident has been attributed‚ for now‚ to human error. The bakkie allegedly tried to follow a taxi that made a last minute dash across the tracks.

“I live two streets away from the crossing. Every time I go out of my house I see the [2010] accident scene. So many promises were made to us when the children died. We were promised a bridge over the crossing to stop more people from dying but nothing happened‚” she said.

“I heard nothing afterwards and look‚ this morning the same thing happened. This morning has been very emotional for me. A friend called to check up on me and I told her that I am not going to the scene. I just don’t have the energy to go through everything again‚” she said.

Willeman battled to hold back tears when she heard of the news of Friday’s accident. Memories of the day when she heard that her 13-year-old son‚ Jean-Pierre‚ had died came flooding back. He would have been 21 had he lived.

“I don’t know what to say to the mothers of the men that passed away. It is never easy to lose a child no matter how old the child is. I relived everything this morning; it is as if the accident happened this morning‚” she said.

“Those people’s family didn’t think that they would never see their loved ones when they left the house this morning. It is not easy‚ it is eight years and still I battle to cope with it.”

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut said the accident happened at 05h45 and that the men who died were aged between 30 and 42

Metrorail spokesperson Zino Mihi said the crew on the train were in shock and would receive emotional and medical support.

Metrorail Regional manager Richard Walker said: “It is a tragedy and we carry the families in our prayers as they deal with the trauma of losing loved ones.”

According to the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR): “The bakkie was following a taxi on Frederick Road‚ parallel to the railway track approaching the Buttskop level crossing. As the train was approaching the crossing‚ the taxi drove across and the bakkie followed the taxi‚ but was unfortunately hit by the train.”

RSR acting chief executive Tshepo Kgare said: “It is very sad and extremely concerning that this level crossing has yet again claimed the lives of road users. We need to re-double our efforts on our collaborations in enforcing the rail-road interface rules to ensure the safety of our people. One life lost is one life too many.”

The Blackheath level crossing has boom gates and flashing lights. The RSR has appealed to motorists to follow safety precautions at crossings and adhere to the signage.