A commuter sued the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) after he suffered burns from an electric shock while “train surfing”.
The high court in Pretoria dismissed 26-year-old Mlungisi Sibisi’s court action in which he sought damages after claiming he suffered injuries in 2010 when he was “dragged by his trousers” along a platform.
But four witnesses — a doctor‚ two security guards and the train driver — said Sibisi was on top of the train when he was shocked by live wires.
Sibisi told the court commuters streaming out of the train at Longdale station near Florida‚ in Johannesburg‚ trampled over him. The train then dragged him to the end of the platform‚ where he struck his head and passed out.
But the witnesses described seeing Sibisi lying down on the train until it stopped at the station‚ at which point he stood up‚ grabbed the pantograph — the device that connects the train to live wires above it — and caught fire.
In his judgment last week‚ Judge Anthony Millar said train driver Anthony Magani described seeing a person standing up at the back of the train and “staggering one way and then the other” when he grabbed the pantograph.
“He said there was fire and black smoke and the person fell down and did not move again‚” said Millar.
Sibisi said he did not know what “train surfing” was and disputed medical records showing that he had sustained burn wounds.
Source: TMG Digital.