Train service suspended due to protests

Raymond Maseko said the safety of commuters and PRASA employees prompted the region to suspend the service based on the possible risk to lives and essential infrastructure. Picture: Tracey Adams/ANA

The Southern line train service was suspended and roads were temporarily closed because of protests on Monday July 27.

Metrorail announced on Sunday that trains would be suspended the next morning as a safety precaution in the wake of planned service delivery protests by Gatvol Capetonians and the Cape Coloured People’s Congress.

The train service is currently limited and only running between Retreat and Cape Town stations in order to abide by safety regulations in accordance with the national coronavirus lockdown.

Raymond Maseko, Metrorail acting regional manager, said the safety of commuters and Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) employees prompted the region to suspend the service based on the possible risk to lives and essential infrastructure.

Certain roads including Prince George Drive and the R102, Old Paarl, Robert Sobukwe and Military Road in Steenberg were temporarily closed because protesters burned tires at these locations.

By late Monday morning police had arrested five people in Steenberg and Bishop Lavis for the disruptions and public violence.

The Cape Coloured People’s Congress vowed to clamp down operations in the City to draw attention to poor service delivery and gangsterism in coloured communities.

Spokesperson Fadiel Adams said the protesters were trying to do so peacefully but said police’s pushback caused an uproar in some of the areas including Parkwood.

“The issues we are trying to raise is homelessness, unemployment, gangsterism and other things that affect our communities,” he said.

Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said law enforcement officials quickly cleared the affected
areas and traffic progressed as normal.