Cape Town City’s Department of Transport and Public Works (DTPW) deputy director Faizel Williams says commuter bus operators and their passengers remain unsafe as they have continued to be subjected to increased attacks over the last few years.
According to IOL, Williams said there had been 93 armed robberies up till the end of April this year, adding that at least 224 robberies were recorded last year, with a R102 million damage.
Williams said this as he briefed the provincial legislature’s standing committee on Transport and Public Works about recent developments to improve commuter safety.
Five initiatives
He said most of the incidents occurred at Govan Mbeki in Philippi followed by Mew Way in Khayelitsha.
A News24 report quoted Williams as saying the armed robbers usually operated in groups. Sometimes they would board the buses as ordinary commuters and later pounce on passengers and the bus operators.
Other times they would simply hold the driver at gunpoint as they entered the bus.
Williams said the provincial government had developed five initiatives to address safety concerns and was working to implement them.
One such initiative would be increased visibility patrols that would help reduce the risk of these crimes.
Feedback
Golden Arrow Bus Services general manager Derek Meyer raised concern that even though the police were making arrests, they never heard any feedback regarding convictions, the report said.
Last month, Golden Arrow passengers were left traumatised after the bus they were travelling in was robbed by two armed men.
EWN, reported at the time that two robbers posing as passengers boarded a bus in Khayelitsha and robbed the bus driver and four passengers of money, cellphones, and other items.
They then jumped out of the bus and fled the scene.
The matter was reported to the police.
Picture: Unsplash
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