An elderly man was flung from a train by Prasa security at Lakeside station. File Picture: ANA Archives
Cape Town - Eyewitnesses have described with shock how an elderly man was allegedly flung out of a train onto his back by a Prasa official at Lakeside station last week.
Commuter Clint Warren recalled the elderly man boarding the train at Steenberg Station on Wednesday afternoon before 3pm.
“One of the security guards went up to him, and they were arguing. He did not have money to pay for his train ticket to Kalk Bay. We were getting money together to pay for his ticket, but the guard would not accept it. He escorted the elderly man to the door, and as the doors opened, he just chucked the guy out, causing him to fall on his backside on the platform,” said Warren.
“Those guards are supposed to prevent people from being thrown off trains, but instead, they are the ones doing it.”
Warren said the incident was completely unacceptable and reminded him of something treatment during Apartheid.
“I am 54 years old, so I remember those days. The way in which they threw him, that elderly man is going to be sore and bruised," he said.
Another eyewitness, Linda Weber said she was shocked at the manner in which the man was thrown out of the train.
"I assume he could be 60 years old or older. After the official threw him out, he wiped his hands as if he touched dirt. I do not justify that the man got onto the train without a ticket. However, I am very sad to have witnessed how the official treated the man. It will never be right to (throw) someone out off a train like that," said Weber.
The witnesses said they had attempted to report the matter to Prasa, but Prasa spokesperson Nana Zenani said they had emailed an incorrect address.
“I don't have an incident logged across the operation,” she said, adding that she would ask the alleged victim to report the incident to the police.
Cape Times