Railway police beefed up for holidays
Proffesor Ndawonde
19 December 2008
The South African Police Service's railway police unit has embarked on a crime-fighting operation to ensure rail safety, with usage of the suburban Metrorail and longer distance Shosholoza Meyl services set to spike during the festive season.
According to a joint statement by the police and the National Rail Crime Combating Forum, the rapidly increasing volume of commuters over the holiday period has demanded greater intervention on the part of law enforcement authorities.
Railway Police unit head assistant commissioner Andre Venter encouraged people to use trains as their primary mode of transport. "The trains are much safer now than four years ago, and the use of trains by our people will help to drastically reduce the carnage on the roads, particularly over this festive period," he said.
Countrywide operation
The countrywide operation will proactively deal with crowd management, congestion, contact crimes, and violent organised contact crimes, while perpetrators of corruption, crimes against women and children, and property-related crimes will also be targeted.
"The presence of both the police and private security has since been enhanced to ensure safe and secure travelling for the greater volumes," the statement issued this week said.
The police will also beef up security measures, have emergency contingency plans in place, and adopt a zero tolerance approach.
Apart from ensuring passenger safety, the move also ties in with the government's aims of developing safe and efficient public transport systems in the run-up to hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The reintroduction of the South African Police Service's railway police unit in 2006 has resulted in greater confidence in rail travel by commuters and passengers, to such an extent that commuter numbers have climbed to match levels last seen in 1992.
Source: BuaNews
