Fatal train crash could have been avoided: UNTU
The United National Transport Union (UNTU) has expressed its
shock over the death of three commuters when a train crashed into a stationary
train Mountain View train station in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Over 600 commuters were injured in the incident.
UNTU's Sonja Carstens says the fatal crash could have been avoided if the Transport Minister, Blade Nzimande and Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) adhered to the court order granted against them last year.
According to the court order, Prasa had to implement manual authorisation only when a supervisor was present to monitor train control officer.
"In other words, there would have been two pairs of eyes to double check if whether or not the route was clear," says Carstens.
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On Tuesday, manual authorisation was used before a train crashed into a second stationary train at the train station.
Last year, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria issued a supervisory order instructing the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) to comply with the safety requirements set out by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR).
This was on the backdrop of the Van Riebeeck Station crash in Kempton Park during manual authorisation.
Nzimande has called for an investigation into the cause of the accident and ordered Prasa management to report to him within the next few days.
Nzimande wants Prasa management to be held accountable for the crash.
"We want the railway regulator to do its job… so that the railway regulator doesn't only act when there is a problem."