THE City of Cape Town has withdrawn its garbage removal services from yet another kasi.
This after city workers were allegedly threatened in Gugulethu on Monday, 2 October.
Urban Waste Management MMC, Grant Twigg said the garbage removal teams were followed by gunmen on Monday who demanded protection fee money from them.
“The City of Cape Town regrets to inform Gugulethu residents that the growing trend of criminals demanding protection money from the City of Cape Town has compelled the city to temporarily withdraw collection services from the community as a precautionary measure. Collections teams in the area reported that they were being followed by vehicles of armed men,” said Twigg.
Twigg said the city has withdrawn services not only in Gugulethu, but in Nyanga and Philippi East due to similar challenges. They were also forced to suspend services in the Manenberg area due to gang violence that has flared up in the area.
Earlier in 2023, Samora Machel kasi was also a no-go area for the city as extortionist demanded money.
Garbage removal teams were recently robbed and ordered to pay a protection fee in Fenqe Street in KTC, Nyanga. Twigg said they were also robbed of their phones during the incident.
This happened a few weeks after two security guards escorting waste management workers were shot and killed in Philippi East.
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“The city’s Urban Waste Management Directorate urgently calls on the South African Police Service to investigate and to take urgent action against the perpetrators of these schemes. Criminals cannot be allowed to hijack service delivery in this way,” said Twigg.
Police spokesman Colonel Andre Traut said the Extortion Task Team is investigating the incident.
“Cases that have been reported to SAPS are currently under investigation and some of these cases are being heard in court. Due to the sensitive nature of our investigations, the finer details can't be divulged at this stage,” said Traut.
