Cape Town - Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has offered a R5 000 reward for information about two gunmen who shot Prasa contractors in Kalksteenfontein yesterday.
Two contractors of the Passenger Railway Agency of South Africa (Prasa) were shot and wounded while repairing cables on the Central Line in Cape Town.
The two injured workers are in hospital. According to Prasa, the motive for the shooting was the theft of copper cables which were being repaired by the contractors. The repairs are part of an ongoing process to get the Central Line train service back up and running.
“I want to make it clear that the City of Cape Town will not tolerate this kind of criminality. We cannot continue to live in a society in which the lives of those performing essential public service are threatened by gangsters and criminals. We cannot allow the majority to suffer because of the appalling behaviour of a few, and this is why we are offering a reward of R5 000 to anyone that can supply us with information that leads to the arrest of the two perpetrators,” said Lewis.
The SAPS stated that the two perpetrators were dropped off in Kalksteenfontein in a Black VW Polo.
Last month, City electricity staff were attacked and robbed of their cell phones and tools in the Philippi farm area. A City staff member suffered cuts to his hand, leaving him traumatised and the vehicle damaged. On a separate occasion in Valhalla Park, on the same day, a ladder was forcefully taken from a staff member while carrying out maintenance work in the area.
Sub council chairperson Angus McKenzie said shootings related to cable theft and vandalism on this line has in recent months seen a remarkable decline due to almost nothing being left to be stolen.
“At a recent meeting held with Prasa and Transnet officials, I warned them about implementing any work plan on the Central Line without a security plan.
“I further insisted that the original plan to first complete the perimeter concrete wall be implemented before the replacement of any cables or tracks, sadly this suggestion was ignored.
“Sadly, today two working men have now been shot and injured which could have been avoided had Prasa headed the calls to ensure a safe working environment for workers,” he said.
He added that it is worrying that despite knowing that this is not an opportunistic crime, but rather a technically advanced syndicate, the correct measures have not been put in place to ensure workers' safety.
Police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk confirmed the incident where a 44-year-old man was shot in both legs, and another, aged 36, a security guard, was shot in his left arm and slightly bruised at the back of his head.
Weekend Argus