Business Express train stoned - IOL News website

[Gabor Kovacs]

From IOL News website

Business Express train stoned
February 16 2010 at 08:11AM

By Lebogang Seale

Passengers using the Pretoria to Joburg Business Express train scurried for cover on Monday as stones hurled by disgruntled commuters pelted their coaches.

The Business Express, which was unveiled in 2008 to lure young professionals and businesspeople from the road and alleviate traffic congestion, was attacked at Kempton Park station.

Passengers using the ordinary trains, frustrated by constant delays, vented their frustration by pelting the business train with stones, claiming that those using it were getting priority.

Metrorail spokesperson Sibusiso Ngomane confirmed the incident, which happened at about 7am. He said the train delays and cancellations were caused by the early morning power failure along the Joburg-Pretoria railway corridor.

The power failure, he said, was compounded by the electrical fault at the Kempton Park station.

Recounting their ordeal, some passengers, who did not want to be named, said the attack could have been worse if the train had been delayed at the station for a longer period.

"There was glass shattering and lots of people screaming," said a passenger, adding that she arrived at Joburg's Park station at about 8.05am, almost an hour later than the scheduled time.

"Many ducked to the floor. At one stage I thought it was gunshot. Luckily it happened just as the train started to move," she said.

Another passenger said she had to duck underneath her seat to avoid injuries.

"I was reading a newspaper when I heard this thudding sound, followed by glass shattering," the woman said. She said the semi-luxury train was also attacked last year.

She saw at least one passenger injured. But Ngomane said no injuries were reported to Metrorail. He said Metrorail regretted the incident and that they were currently reviewing security measures for the trains.

"We will also be deploying standby locomotives and a technical team to respond swiftly whenever there are reported cases of train delays," he said.

The Business Express travels from Pretoria to Joburg in under an hour. It offers onboard services such as free newspapers, refreshments, and has laptop workstations with power points and Wi-fi Internet access. There is also secure covered parking at the stations and dedicated free bus shuttles.

[Dylan Knott]

Time for the police to shoot back and arrest people. Unacceptable behaviour for our country!