‘Sabotage of the worst possible kind’: Cape Town inflamed by MyCiTi arson

The City of Cape Town has been rocked by a violent surge of arson attacks on MyCiTi bus infrastructure, putting further strain on an already-embattled public transport system.

As South Africa attempts to revive its economy, following a prolonged period of lockdown, the public transport system has been hit by a wave of protest and destruction. While in Gauteng, a province-wide taxi strike has left thousands of commuters stranded, in the Western Cape a weekend of arson attacks targeting MyCiTi infrastructure has the City of Cape Town fuming.

MyCiTi buses and station gutted by arson

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member of Transport, Felicity Purchase, condemned the attacks which have decimated public transport infrastructure in Milnerton and Dunoon. Purchase confirmed that a weekend of attacks on Cape Town buses have cost the city in excess of R8 million. Two MyCiTi buses were completely gutted by flames. The Omuramba station in Racecourse Road, Montague Gardens was also set alight.

Commenting on the volatility in the area, which has since been swarmed by law enforcement agencies, Purchase condemned the destruction of public infrastructure, saying:

“This weekend marks one of the worst in the 10-year history of the MyCiTi service with violent attacks on assets and infrastructure in the Milnerton and Dunoon areas.

This is nothing less but sabotage of the worst possible kind, and in a time of crisis when COVID-19 is challenging our resolve like never before.”

Ongoing protests in Dunoon

Ongoing unrest in Dunoon, ostensibly linked to a lack of service delivery and contentious land grabs, has plagued the area in June. Earlier this month, a ward councillor — who spoke out against a criminal syndicate that was allegedly responsible for selling plots of land — was the subject of an arson attack. According to security guards at the scene, petrol bombs rained down on the councillor’s office on Youth Day.

Western Cape South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk confirmed that the area had been inundated by acts of violence and arson. Van Wyk noted:

“Sporadic incidents of public violence are currently taking place on Potsdam and N7 due to a dispute of allocation of housing.”

Purchase confirmed that, as a result of the recent attacks on MyCiTi infrastructure, passengers wanting to catch a bus or disembark at Omuramba station wedge advised to use alternative stops and stations:

• For the 261 route, please use the Gousblom stop on Koeberg Road.
• For the T03 route, please use the Sanddrift or Century City stations.
• For the T04 route, please use the Turf Club, Sanddrift or Century City stations.