Safety, or lack thereof, on the trains and stations is a huge issue for us here in Cape Town.
Some lines are just a bit more dangerous than others, but the southern line is probably considered the safest one. Yesterday we witnessed yet another cell phone being snatched out of a window as the train was leaving a station. And there is absolutely nothing you can do....! I've seen this happen a few times and it's quite disturbing.
The worst is when you can spot the criminals (they are often in pairs) ahead of time and just watch until they either snatch a phone, bag or piece of jewellery from some unsuspecting person. Last year some people were robbed at gunpoint on the next carriage and the criminals just jumped off at the next station and ran away. It was scary as hell and the little security that was available at that station were completely unable to catch them.
The next few weeks of commuting were quite stressful and eventually everyone was a bit more relaxed. Although, you can never let your guard down. Carriages are often so full of people that phones and wallets are easily stolen out of bags when you are pushed up against each other.
I'm feeling quite vulnerable these days and it makes commuting very stressful.
13 March 2017 - Claremont Station
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