Transport portfolio committee chairperson Mosebenzi Zwane has said that appropriate measures must be taken to protect rail infrastructure and all assets belonging to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).

This comes after 24 carriages were set alight in Bloemfontein .

News24 reported 24 Shosholoza Meyl train carriages were burned at Bloemfontein railway station, with a group of youths under suspicion after they had been chased out of the yard.

No services were disrupted because the carriages were a distance away from the station itself, however the fire affected critical cables at the depot.

In a statement, Zwane said the government was losing moeny daily due to vandalism of the rail infrastructure.

“Nothing should be left to chance in guarding against this kind of sabotage. The committee will forever condemn the illegal acts of burning government infrastructure.”

He said failure to protect government infrastructure would result in sporadic burnings in other provinces.

Last year saw several similar incidents in the Western Cape.