The Metrorail Central Line route promised to resume operations by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) earlier in the year is not going to be operational anytime soon.
The delay results from railway line workers discounting work after threats at gunpoint by gangsters demanding protection fees and residential homes built along the railway line.
Also read: Video: Alleged gangsters demand “protection fees” from workers rebuilding Central Line
The central-line train has been out of service for three years affecting Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Bellville, Langa and Pinelands commuters to Cape Town CBD.
A billion rand has been allocated toward the restructuring of the route.
According to EWN, Prasa’s acting regional manager, Raymond Maseko confirmed that work on the central line is at a standstill to protect contractors.
“Our security department, together with state law enforcement, are discussing the security plan that we require in order to go back there. As you would have seen, some of the footage and the type of arms these people are carrying, we could not deal with them at an organisational level like Prasa,” said Maseko.
More details on the progress are to follow.
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Picture: Mbalula Fikile / Twitter