Crime in Public Transit: Commuter's Perceptions of Crime in Metrorail trains in the South African Context

Rail transport is regarded as the cheapest mode of on-land transport for commuters who need to travel to and from work or school. It has distinctive characteristics that, over the years, have made it popular as a cost-effective mode of transport that accommodates a large number of people and reduces road congestion. Nonetheless, tolerant rail commuters in the city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, have become increasingly frustrated at the declining quality of rail service delivery. This is evidenced by angry commuters who burn trains due to failed rail assets, and these acts have been contemplated as a commuter strategy to enforce and guarantee service improvement by the operator. The rail commuter industry has been plagued by a history of poor service delivery due to inaccessibility, crowding, and poor security as the main reasons for dissatisfaction with railway services. Research has revealed that trains are rarely on time and tend to stop in the middle of nowhere without notice. This has prompted late arrivals at work and the possibility of job losses for commuters. Moreover, such delays and stoppages lead to train overcrowding and safety risks. As everyone's main goal is to get inside that train as soon as it arrives, getting inside could mean shoving, climbing on top of the train, or hanging from doors or windows. There has been a growing concern about crime becoming a major issue for law-abiding commuters. Both major crimes, such as acts of violence, murder, or robbery, and minor crimes, such as pick-pocketing, occur regularly on trains or at stations. It was against this background that an extensive literature review was embarked on, and individual interviews were conducted with 20 commuters that had been recruited at a selected train station in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Based on the routine activities theory and crime pattern theory, the study aimed at exploring commuters' perceptions of crime on Metrorail trains, the dangers associated with overcrowding, and investigating safety and security measures based on participants' responses. Findings of this study confirm that the lack of patrol officers on trains and at train stations, as well as the high level of overcrowding on trains, are contributing factors to the high crime rate. The findings further propose that the ineffectiveness of policies and legislation that are in place to curb crime in the railway sector calls for a revitalisation of the purpose of providing safe, secure, and reliable Metrorail services to commuters.