Another Golden Arrow bus went up in flames in Cape Town – this time in Khayelitsha on Thursday, the City of Cape Town’s fire and rescue services said.

Fire and rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse told News24 that the bus was petrol bombed in the morning and no injuries were reported.

“The driver managed to extinguish the fire prior to the arrival of the fire brigade,” Carelse added. “There was only slight damage to the bus.”

The incident happened along Steve Biko and Govan Mbeki drives. According to Carelse, the petrol bombing “seems to have been protest related”.

Last week, a Golden Arrow bus went up in flames at the bus depot in Cape Town’s CBD. Only the shell of the bus remained when News24 arrived at the depot. No injuries were reported in that incident.

At the same time, an unoccupied MyCiTi bus was engulfed in smoke on Hospital Bend on the N2. It is believed that the fire started in the engine compartment.

Cape Town train fire

Meanwhile, the man accused of setting fire to trains at the Cape Town station last month, Thobela Xoseni, which racked up a bill of around R33m, was on Thursday referred for mental observation by the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court.

A district surgeon had drawn up a report after seeing Xoseni and concluded that he be sent for 30 days’ observation.

Mornay Calitz, a Legal Aid lawyer representing Xoseni, confirmed that he had received the report and asked that Magistrate Greg Jacobs refer his client in terms of two specific sections of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA).

A psychiatric panel will need to determine whether Xoseni is able to understand proceedings so that he can properly defend himself.

He is expected to return to court on June 3.

Source: News24 – Kamva Somdyala