Africa-Press – South-Africa. A taxi employee based at the Eerste River taxi rank has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for burning a train, leaving the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) with a damages bill of R3,5 million.
Ricardo Khan was sentenced on Wednesday on a charge of damage to essential infrastructure.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, during his hearing, Khana testified that he gets paid more if more taxis are in operation.
Khan was arrested after the train carriage was set alight at the Eerste River station on 20 March 2020.
Law enforcement officers, Prasa officials and a team of police officials attached to the Provincial Command Centre in Cape Town attended the scene.
Ntabazalila said:
The trial commenced in December last year.
Prasa chief investigator Jan Paul Jordaan testified that they fall about 70% under their budget every month due to failure to generate income, as a result of no trains being available. He added that Khan’s actions had impacted on the whole community of the Western Cape, as trains were the cheapest mode of transport.
Another Prasa official, Herold Jacobus van Reenen, testified that since 2019, there had been four train burnings, theft of hard drives from stations, as well as vandalism and theft of copper cables. He added that when trains were set alight, the obvious alternative for commuters became taxis.
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Senior State advocate Aradhana Heeramun argued that the financial loss sustained by Prasa was one of the factors the court had to consider.
“However, the impact that these incidents have on the poor in our communities is where the real tragedy lies. Trains are the cheapest form of transport. When sets are put out of use, commuters are forced to use taxis, which are more expensive, and this ultimately costs commuters more money.
“Only the taxi industry benefits when trains are put out of service. Prasa has to reimburse commuters due to sets being put out of use. The replacement of the carriages comes at exorbitant costs to the state,” said Heeramun.
She welcomed the sentence, saying the successful prosecution was a result of teamwork and praised the investigating officer, Sergeant Marthiens Jacobs, for his work.
Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape Nicolette Bell also lauded the team involved.
“We are pleased with this sentence. It sends a very strong message because burning trains is economic sabotage. Its impact goes far beyond the immediate satisfaction of the accused and negatively affects the country’s economy.”
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