WHY HAVE A TICKET OFFICE THAT ISNT OPEN

So i get to athlone station and find the ticket office closed on my side, i boarded the cape flats train heading to town. At koeberg station tickets were checked and i had to pay a fine of R40.00 or be locked up. I find it totally unacceptable that they would not allow me to just purchase my ticket as i intended to do when i got to athlone station. i then had to purchase a ticket at koeberg as well. As per the staff they advised that ticket office 2 was opened on athlone. So please tell me why i have to put my life in danger and walk through a dark subway(as metrorail doesnt intend on putting lights in there subways) tell me why there are tickets offices but not open,.