READER LETTER | Metrorail must roll out services

Metrorail should capitalise on the runaway cost of fuel that has dogged the country.

For many people, the train was a reliable mode of transport for travelling to work or school. Problems such as cable theft and the vandalism of train infrastructure during the Covid-19 pandemic left many people who relied on this mode of transport without a choice, forcing them to use taxis and lift clubs.

With the steady return of trains in recent years, Metrorail must use this opportunity to go full throttle in rolling out services for people hamstrung by exorbitant fuel prices.

This time, Metrorail has to ensure the trains are reliable and on time as part of restoring trust among commuters. Further, it must ensure the trains are safe for women, children and other customers, so they do not fear being raped, robbed or killed. The safety and reliability of trains will go a long way towards making them one of the most trusted modes of public transport in the country and attracting new customers.

It is critical that Metrorail does not see the ballooning petrol price as a chance to increase its fares to unacceptable levels; it must remember that it mostly serves disadvantaged members of the public who are already feeling the pinch of the economy. – Luzuko Pongoma