Passenger
Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) offices in Cape Town in April were previously
occupied by the civil society group, Unite Behind. They demand an efficient and
safe commuter rail service. On Friday from 2pm the afternoon, the #UniteBehind alliance
movement will occupy Cape Town station for a non-violent protest to demand
commuter safety on Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) trains.
Mathew Hirsch, the spokesperson for #UniteBehind, said commuters confronted
dangerous journeys everyday just to get to work and school on time. Hirsch said,
the most affected are females, who get sexually harassed, as well as pupils,
who occasionally get pushed out of trains due to overcrowding. “That just this
week there has remained delays of more than two hours across the province due
to infrastructure difficulties in Cape Town”, he said. Hirsch also mentioned
that, they demand qualified and properly trained security guards on trains and
at the train stations, operating on legitimate contracts. They need basic
security infrastructure. “There needed to be security in the trains and at
every station”, he said.
There need to be accessible reporting mechanisms for commuters who are
victims of crime. They reiterate our demands that commuter rail be declared a
national disaster. This would allow the government to unlock funds and
resources to focus on safety on trains.
They continue our call for a commuter-centred safety plan.
By: Ellouise Muller
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