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"We cannot compromise on Safety", says Omar.

The Minister of Transport Dullah Omar said this morning that he understands the frustration of commuters when there are delays caused by the rail system. These delays may be necessary from time to time to ensure that safety is guaranteed and not compromised. He said he understood that commuters live far from their places of work and that most of them travel for long distances and long hours to get home.

Minister Omar however emphasised that an action such as the one we saw last night should be condemned and never be allowed to find expression in violence.

From the report that the Minister received, it is clear that setting alight the Pretoria Station is the work of a few people. All other disciplined commuters should not be condemned and be painted with the same brush. He appealed to the South African Rail Commuter Corporation and Metrorail to assist the police in bringing those involved to book.

Minister Omar described the incident as a big blow for infrastructure development because the President in his State of the Nation Address said government would spend more money and resources on infrastructure development and maintenance. "This incident is regrettable".

Minister Omar made an appeal to the public to co-operate with the authorities and said that safety comes first. There is always a reason or an explanation for delays and said in this case, the signalling system servicing the Pienaarspoort to Pretoria and Saulsville to Pretoria were dead. There were no communication systems to authorise trains and no communication to make public announcements.

The Minister would like to emphasise that safety cannot be compromise. He said Metrorail and the SARCC had assured him that everything possible would be done to minimise the inconveniences to commuters. Minister Omar also paid tribute to the majority of commuters at the station who were well behaved. He said only a small group had gone on the rampage. He said that rail transport would be made a preferred mode of transport for both freight and for passenger transport purposes.

Contact: Mike Mabasa at 083 680 7048

Issued by Ministry of Transport

20 February 2001