The unit was launched two years ago to tackle crime impacting Cape Town’s rail network.
A new memorandum of agreement between the City of Cape Town, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa and provincial government has been signed.
The unit was launched last year and was funded by Prasa, the City of Cape Town and the provincial government.
The suspects were arrested for separate crimes related to possession of stolen property and drugs.
Metrorail says since implementing additional security measures it has made 347 arrests in the province.
The City's JP Smith said the Passenger Rail Agency's Protection Services and police collaborated in six joint operations.
Between October and January, the Rail Enforcement Unit conducted 133 joint operations which led to 66 arrests.
The arrests were made in the Woodstock and Claremont-Rondebosch areas during a series of more than 120 inspections at scrap yards, bucket shops and other metal theft hotspots.
The arrests were made in areas known for theft; Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Stock Road, Philippi, Langa and Bonteheuwel between Friday and Monday.
Last year, before the establishment of the dedicated Cape Town Rail Enforcement Unit, a spate of train fires caused mayhem on the network.
The unit is a joint initiative between the City of Cape Town, provincial government and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.
It’s been a week since the new City’s Rail Enforcement Unit officers were deployed to the Cape Town network.
It's hoped the unit, along with other law enforcement bodies, will soon be able to crack down effectively on the likes of cable thieves and arsonists who routinely throw services into chaos.
The City of Cape Town’s new Rail Enforcement Unit was deployed for the first time on Monday.
Provincial transport authorities along with national Transport Minister Blade Nzimande attended the launch of the railway safety unit at Cape Town station on Friday.
The deployment of Cape Town’s Rail Enforcement Unit has been delayed yet again. The unit was expected to be deployed on Thursday but officers have still not been given permission to operate on Prasa infrastructure.
Rail Enforcement Unit was supposed to begin its work on Thursday afternoon during the peak hours, but officers have still not been given permission to operate on Prasa infrastructure.
The unit will provide visible policing on trains and at stations, and will act against vandalism and theft of cables, copper, and other infrastructure.
