The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has beefed up security along the Central Line in Cape Town following the shooting of security guards tasked with protecting the recovery work between Bonteheuwel and Lavis Town.
Prasa said on Wednesday the contractors were installing overhead copper cables when two armed men in a black VW Polo fired 10 shots at them. Two security guards were injured and are recovering in hospital.
“Prasa is on a journey of recovering stolen and/or vandalised rail infrastructure and is aware of the vulnerability of the recovery work to criminal syndicates and opportunistic criminals,” said the rail agency.
“We have contracted and deployed additional security on the lines we are recovering, but it is clear that we are under siege, and the criminals will stop at nothing to get what they want.”
The rail agency commended the bravery and work of the security guards who put their lives at risk to defend the rail infrastructure. A case of attempted murder has been filed at the Elsies River police station and police are investigating.
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