Kentemade (B 15)

Name: Kentemade

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By Terri-Liza Fortein

Four Cape Town families have issued summonses against Metrorail, claiming about R5-million in damages after a series of tragedies.

Attorneys for Miriam Adolf, Berendina Fuller, Christopher and Renette Hellings and Mzobanzi Maci filed the summonses in the Cape High Court on Tuesday.

On June 18 2001, Adolf and Fuller's husbands - Cornelius Adolf and Marthinus Fuller - boarded a Metrorail commuter train at Bellville station intending to disembark at Unibell station.

While the two builders were travelling home a gang of armed men stormed into the carriage they were travelling in and robbed several passengers of their possessions.

Cornelius Adolf and Marthinus Fuller were beaten, stabbed and both thrown off the moving train between Pentech and Unibell Stations.

Both men died as a result of their injuries.

Miriam Adolf of Belhar is taking action against Metrorail in her personal capacity and on behalf of the couple's three children. She is claiming damages totalling R1-million.

Miriam Adolf's neighbour, Berendina Fuller, is claiming damages in the region of R800 000 for loss of support, general damages and future medical costs.

Three days before the deaths of Cornelius Adolf and Marthinus Fuller, Cape Technikon student Ross Hellings was travelling From Cape Town Station to Monte Vista.

Between Ysterplaat and Kentemade stations Hellings, 20, fell through the open doors of the Metrorail carriage he was travelling in.

He sustained serious head injuries and was airlifted to the Milnerton Medi-Clinic, where he died the next day.

Hellings's family are claiming about R700 000 in damages.

Mzobanzi Maci of Gugulethu fell from a Metrorail commuter train on June 21 while travelling from Cape Town to Heideveld station.

The Metrorail carriage Maci was travelling in when he fell was apparently overcrowded and although the train was in motion, the doors of the carriage allegedly remained open.

He contends that as a result of the extreme overcrowding, commuters in the carriage were pushing and shoving and Maci was pushed out of the open doors.

After the fall his right leg was amputated, his ribs were fractured and he also had a large cut in his back and still suffers from severe backache.

Maci uses a prosthetic limb, but he hopes to acquire a better artificial limb to help facilitate easier movement.

He is claiming about R2,6-million in damages for loss of earnings, pain and suffering, disability and disfigurement and medical costs.


•This article was originally published on page 5 of The Cape Argus on June 16, 2004
Other interesting info:

With respect to the route alignment, current planning assessment makes
provision for a proposed initial service from the Blaauwbergsvlei area to
terminate in Cape Town Station. The proposed service will operate on the
current Atlantis rail corridor that links to the Bellville – Monte Vista/Woodstock –
Cape Town lines at a locality between Kentemade and Acacia Park Stations.

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