The subways at the Kenilworth and Harfield Road train station have been plagued by flooding.
The City of Cape Town pumped out the Harfield Road subway last Friday, after it had been deluged for several weeks, but the Kenilworth subway remains flooded.
Harfield resident Gail Brown said commuters had been unable to use the subways because of the flooding.
She complained that homeless people also used the subways as a toilet and criminals used them as an escape route.
Ward councillor Ian Iversen said Metrorail was responsible for maintaining the subways.
“They have done nothing to address the situation, and I made contact with Metrorail and received no response.”
Thieves had broken a door in the Harfield Road subway and stolen the pump, he said.
“The City pumped out Harfield Road station subway last week, though Metrorail needs to carry out the necessary repairs and install a new pump.”
Jenni Coleman, the manager of the Harfield Village Community Improvement District (HVCID), said the flooding had made it impossible for anyone to use the station, either to access the platform or to get from one side of the street to another.
Ms Coleman said they wanted to put up a security gate at the subway and keep it locked from 9pm to 4am.
“This will help address the crime element where criminals use the subway to hide if they are trying to avoid the police and security companies.”
The HVCID had a gate but just needed approval from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to put it up, she said.
Riana Scott, the spokeswoman for Metrorail, Prasa’s commuter-service division, said the flooding at Kenilworth station’s subway had been lodged for resolution, and the gate proposal would have to go to the relevant department for consideration.
