Cape Town – The City of Cape Town is offering a R5 000 reward for information about two gunmen who shot two contractors for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).
The two workers were busy with a recovery in Kalksteenfontein on Tuesday when they were shot.
Metrorail acting spokesperson Nana Zenani confirmed the shooting.
“The incident took place along the Central Line while contractors were busy with recovery as part of the corridor recovery.
“The shooter's were intent on stealing the copper cables before they were even relayed as part of the repair works,” Zenani said.
However, on Wednesday, Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis put up a R5 000 reward for anyone who has information about the gunmen.
He confirmed the workers were currently in hospital.
According to Prasa, the motive for the shooting was the theft of copper cables that were being repaired by the contractor.
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.
“If the central line is fixed it will provide affordable public transport to millions of Capetonians; this is essential in the current economic climate in which the cost of living is rocketing and unemployment is at record levels.
“Even as we work to devolve the management of passenger rail to the metro, we are committed to helping wherever we can to get the current system up and running as soon as possible.
“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 who can supply us with information that leads to the arrest of the two perpetrators,” Hill-Lewis said.
He said early reports by police state that the gunmen were dropped off in Kalksteenfonein in a black VW Polo.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the City of Cape Town on 0800 11 00 77.
IOL