On Monday evening, eight Metrorail train coaches were destroyed in an arson attack at Cape Town Station.

CAPE TOWN - The Western Cape Transport Department says authorities can’t afford to replace public transport infrastructure which is damaged during protests.

On Monday evening, eight Metrorail train coaches were destroyed in an arson attack at Cape Town Station.

Angry commuters went on the rampage after being left stranded for several hours.

Meanwhile, a Golden Arrow driver had to be being treated for shock after the bus she was driving was torched in Khayelitsha on Monday morning.

WATCH: 8 train carriages destroyed in chaos at Cape Town Train Station

Transport MEC Donald Grant says: “Every bus and every train that’s burnt are assets which take time to recover and put back into service. And these are assets that the government can ill afford to replace because we’re under financial pressure.

“I’ve had a full report from the GM of Prasa as to what led to that frustration by the commuters. But really there’s little point in burning the few remaining trains that we’ve got because that’s only going to impact negatively on the quality and frequency of service.”

(Edited by Zamangwane Shange)