By Jonisayi Maromo 
Jul 13, 2021
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Passenger rail service Metrorail has announced that train services suspended earlier this week due to spreading violent unrest, will formally resume on Wednesday.
“Metrorail Gauteng has taken a decision to formally resume the train service in many of its corridors as from Wednesday, 14 July 2021. The service was suspended on Monday, 12 July 2021, following the chaotic incidents witnessed in Johannesburg last week,” acting Gauteng Metrorail spokesperson, Tony Games, said on Tuesday.
“After assessing the situation, Metrorail management is comfortable that the situation is now calm to provide a normal service in the interest of fare-paying customers who want nothing but to travel safely, in a secure environment including our employees and assets.”
Nineteen people had been confirmed dead in Gauteng late on Tuesday as a result of the unrest which has been plaguing parts of the province since the weekend.
These included 10 who died at Ndofaya Mall in Meadowlands, Soweto. According to Gauteng Premier David Makhura the 10 lost their lives in a stampede during a looting frenzy.
Metrorail said from Wednesday, trains will run in the following corridors:
1. The Pienaarspoort-Pretoria service
2. The Mabopane-Pretoria service
3. The Saulsville-Pretoria service
4. The Naledi-Johannesburg service
5. The Vereeniging-Union service
“Based on the advice received from law enforcement agencies, the train service between Leralla-Elandsfontein [Tembisa Corridor] will remain suspended until further notice. Metrorail is serious about running a safe incident free service and will not expose the commuting public to situations that will endanger their lives,” Games said.
“Metrorail will continue monitoring the situation on the ground and will indeed, inform the public as an when the need arises.”
African News Agency (ANA)