Woman thanks herstars after 'warning'

2003-10-24 13:29

Mahap Msiza

Cape Town - A woman commuter is thanking her lucky stars she heeded the advice of an "official" who advised them to get off a train that went through a wall when it arrived in Cape Town.

She and her brother were among several people who heeded the man's advice that the "brakes are faulty", and who left the train at Bellville station.

The man also had said they should be "rustig" and not panic.

According to witnesses at Cape Town station, the train didn't stop and went straight through a wall. Twenty-nine people were injured and 12 were taken to Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in the city centre.

Carron Cloete, a graphic designer working for Media24 (which owns News24) and brother Jerrard said an official wearing a neon apron told commuters the "brakes are faulty" and that they should stay calm "bly rustig".

According to Carron, the official broke the news after the train had been delayed for 10 minutes. This delay, according to Carron, was the second one. The train also had been delayed at Brackenfell station.

Mystified about brakes warning

"There seemed to be no real reason for alarm, judging by the man's attitude. People didn't seem to know what to do next."

Later, Carron heard that the train had smashed into a wall.

"If there was any doubt about the safety of the train, how could they risk people's lives and make such a poor judgment call?" asked Carron.

Metrorail's officials at Belville station told News24 on Friday they were not aware of any announcement that there was something wrong with the train.

A Mr J Pretorius, who told News24 he was the train control officer at Bellville station, said he was not aware of an official warning commuters about a faulty train.

Laurence Rybnikar, a ticket officer at Bellville, also hadn't heard of anybody warning of a fault with the train.

Welheminah Deminis, stationed at Cape Town station, also did not know of any warning made before the train left Bellville.

Deminis is the the station's head of investigations.

Riaana Jacobs of Metrorail told News24 her company was awaiting the findings of the investigation into the accident.

Although travelling by train was convenient for her, Carron said: "Today I wonder whether or not it is worth the frustration... or do I just put my life into the hands of Metrorail and pray I get to work alive".

She added that passengers themselve "shouldn't take things for granted... those people sitting in my carriage, after being told that there was a situation, should have got off immediately".

- News24