TRAGEDY AT THE ABANDONED TRAIN STATION

James Klusener

@jamesklusener 

On Wednesday 24 September 2025, tragedy struck when another person fell victim to the abandoned train station in Potchefstroom. Willem Pretorius, a first-year Villagers Men’s Residence member, was with his girlfriend when he was electrocuted by an exposed cable atop the train after attempting to take some photos.

After speaking with Netwerk24, DA councillor Madra de Bruin stated that this was the fourth young person to have died at this station since her term began four years ago. After the horrific incident occurred, many university groups and social media platforms became flooded with warnings surrounding the dangerous premises. One message from de Bruin stated that, “Photos are forever, but so is the risk”.

Despite the countless warnings, and very visible dangers of the train station, it still remains a popular photography site for many young students. However, as is clearly evident by the tragedy that has occurred, this is not a safe place for anyone. Please refrain from entering this area as it is highly dangerous, and could lead to more lives being lost far too soon.

Edited by Simoné de Witt