Metrorail has beefed up security and police visibility at the busy Cape Town station following a shootout on Tuesday morning. Commuters and Metrorail staff were left shocked after two armed suspects were chased inside the station, leading one suspect to take his own life.

CCTV camera footage shows two man wearing black garments that appeared to be similar to those worn by Muslim women walking to the station. They were approached by security guards, after a woman reported the two after becoming suspicious of them. Once the guards approached them they ran away with one fleeing to the train station where he shot himself in the mouth on platform 24 and died on the scene. Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said an inquest docket has been opened.

Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said they were deeply shocked by the incident and would fully cooperate with the police in their investigation.

“We’ve just read about crime being on the increase. We know that unemployment is high and one accepts that during such times, down to either sheer desperation or criminality individuals resort to acts like this,” she told VOC Breakfast Beat.

“We have made available our CCTV footage which we hope will be instrumental in solving the case.”

Scott says Metrorail has opted to increase visibility of security throughout the station. To further reassure commuters, there is also a rapid rail response police station present at Cape Town station.

“The way they were dressed one would not anticipate criminality or any threat or something like that. For us it is important that the police get behind what the motive was so one can address it specifically,” she stressed.

Metrorail usually deploys its security based on either confidential intelligence received from the police, or reactively where “reported crime indicates hotspots or trends”.

“That’s why we tell people to report each and every incident, no matter how trivial and insignificant you might find it. In the larger picture it contributes to telling us where trends and hotspots develop,” Scott stated.

To report any incidents of note contact Metrorail Corporate Security at the toll free number 0800 21 00 81. You can view all important contact information at http://www.capemetrorail.co.za/Contact-Us.html. VOC (Mubeen Banderker)