Shosholoza Meyl: better security

2009-09-23 20:17

Johannesburg - Shosholoza Meyl announced on Wednesday that it has set aside R20m to beef up security on its trains following a shooting incident last month.

Three passengers were shot at in the economy class section of a train on its way from Johannesburg to Durban. One passenger died in the incident.

Sosholoza Meyl said the money would be used to install surveillance cameras, to deploy more railway police in trains and to install walk-through metal detectors and hand-held metal detectors at stations.

Shosholoza Meyl chief executive officer Viwe Mlenzana said the railway police would conduct pre-departure and en-route searches on all passengers.

Security measures inadequate

Mlenzana said the new security measures would be in place by December at Shosholoza Meyl's 150 train stations across the country.

He said the company decided to increase security after a risk assessment following the August incident showed that the measures the company had in place at the time were inadequate.

"Passengers were not searched before the August incident. We only had security personnel on trains and messages that weapons are not allowed on trains."

He said the shooting was a wake-up call, because there were plans to tighten up security, but not this year.

"We had to take money from other projects to ensure the safety of our passengers."
 

- SAPA