Cape Town railway a pivotal battle for law and order

The battle to reopen Cape Town’s central commuter railway line is a litmus test of the government’s ability to maintain law and order, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry said on Wednesday. 

The transport artery that carried more than 50-million commuters in 2011, was suspended as result of extensive vandalism and theft, and attempts to return it to service have been thwarted by gangsterism and extortion.

The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that activist turned businessman Loyiso Nkohla, who was shot dead at a meeting at Philippi railway station, had previously being threatened by extortionists seeking a percentage of contracts related to the revival of the railway corridor.

He was working as a mediator between the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) and communities who illegally erected shacks along the line and need to be relocated. 

The chamber said his death was a sombre reminder that the government “cannot afford to lose this battle, given what’s at stake”. 

“It is hard to think of a more crucial task than resurrecting Cape Town’s commuter rail service that has been vandalised and invaded under the noses of law enforcers,” said chamber president Jacques Moolman.

“We need all role players united in a collective effort to win this battle against criminal elements, for the alternative would lead us down the path of anarchy. Law and order is fundamental to our hopes of growing the economy and lifting communities out of poverty.”  

Extortion was flagged as a major concern by the Western Cape Property Development Forum, which has spoken of problems at construction sites countrywide, added the chamber. 

A survey of businesses by the chamber late last year found that 62% of the respondents rated the train service as “inefficient”, and 34% rated the quality of road infrastructure as poor.

The poor rating came despite a 17.8% increase in budget allocations to the transport and public works sector over the past five years, with the allocation to transport infrastructure having increased by 10.16% in the same period. 

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