Passengers in a crowded train on the way to Cape Town station today. Photo: Bernard Chiguvare
29 April 2016
In the fourth of a series of short reports, Bernard Chiguvare describes his daily battle to get to work using Metrorail.
No matter how full the next train to Cape Town is, I’ll have to jump in, I said to myself as I ran to Nyanga Junction in this cold weather.
At 7:58 am a train from Cape Town stopped at platform five at the Junction. There was some confusion about whether the train would proceed to Khayelitsha or would return to Cape Town.
Most passengers rushed to that train but after five minutes they found out it was going the wrong way and jumped off to catch another train on platform one, going to Cape Town.
I manage to squeeze onto that train.
I was just next to the closed carriage door. As we arrived at Heideveld station passengers inside held the door shut to stop anyone else getting in. They said they were tired of being pushed and shoved.
Passengers outside had to open the door by force.
At Pinelands train station most passengers jumped off, shoving to get out.
I arrived at Salt River at 7: 58 am and ran for another train to Rondebosch. I arrived at work at 8:12 am.