POLITICS

Another MyCiTi bus torched in Cape Town

This is the second attack at the Kuyasa station in Khayelitsha

Another MyCiTi bus torched in Cape Town

7 November 2018

Another MyCiTi bus has been set alight - this time in Khayelitsha, following the torching of another bus in Milnerton on Tuesday.

Western Cape provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa told News24 on Wednesday morning that the bus was set alight at around 05:00 on Kuyasa Road in Khayelitsha, near the Kuyasa MyCiTi bus station.

He said no injuries were reported and there was no information on who was responsible.

It is also not clear whether anyone was on the bus at the time of the attack.

Police and traffic services were on the scene, said Africa.

On Tuesday a bus driver escaped unharmed when a bus was torched in Milnerton.

It is also not clear who was responsible for that incident. There were no passengers on the bus at the time.

City of Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith told News24 on Tuesday that while it was not clear who was behind the blaze, the incident "followed a pattern of attacks on isolated buses".

He said the City would issue a statement on Wednesday to update the public on both incidents.

This is the second attack at the Kuyasa station.

Interdict against striking drivers

A MyCiTi bus was stoned at the station on October 23. No injuries were reported.

It was reported that a petrol bomb was thrown at the MyCiTi bus station in Kuyasa on the same day, although it was not immediately clear whether this was the same incident.

It is also not clear whether the attacks are related to an ongoing dispute between the City and bus drivers who have been on a "wildcat strike" over payment, working conditions and outsourcing.

The City of Cape Town obtained an urgent interdict on October 19 to stop striking drivers from intimidating, harassing or assaulting MyCiTi passengers or staff.

Drivers were also interdicted from damaging MyCiTi stations or buses, and gathering less than 100m from MyCiTi stations or buses.

According to Eyewitness News, the City's former mayoral committee member for transport Brett Herron said at the time that there was a four-week strike earlier this year, and that it was concluded with an agreement at the bargaining council.

News24