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The Portfolio Committee on Transport has called on law enforcements to double their efforts and prioritise investigations into the burning of trains in and around Cape Town.

The Chairperson of the committee Ms Dikeledi Magadzi said the fires in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces concerned the committee.

The committee will look to reschedule its programme and invite the Passanger Rail Agency of SA, in order to understand what strategy it has to deal with this crisis.
The burning of trains is frequent and it is costly to the state. This kind of anarchy is condemned with contempt as it frustrates the efforts and objectives of linking up commuters with economic opportunities.

Three trains were reportedly burnt in the Cape Metro and a number of carriages had been destroyed entirely on Friday. Similar burning of trains occurred in KZN last week.

Ms Magadzi said the burning of trains inconvenienced many people and put poor people’s lives at risk. This is over and above the increased volumes of vehicles and cargo on the roads.

The need for rail police has never been greater not only for security of passengers, and state assets; but also the infrastructure which has been earmarked by the President as pivotal in getting the economy growing again.

Issued by The Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of The Chairperson of The Portfolio Committee on Transport, Ms Dikeledi Magadzi