Siege on City Service Delivery Teams: Attacks on Officials and Contractors Hamper Service Delivery

The City of Cape Town has recently witnessed a surge in violence and threats against officials and contractors working on service delivery projects. These attacks have created a disturbing pattern of aggression towards service delivery teams, making it increasingly difficult to perform their work without armed patrols, as criminals demand protection money from the City and contractors, and threatened attacks or theft of machinery and assets.

Attack on Councillor Rob Quintas

The recent attack on Councillor Rob Quintas, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, highlights the alarming rise in violence and threats against officials and contractors in the region. The incident took place on the 24th of May 2023, when the vehicle carrying Councillor Quintas was targeted on Democracy Way in Phoenix. The City’s VIP Protection Unit managed to injure one suspect, who was subsequently arrested.

Councillor Quintas was conducting an oversight visit for the City’s Winter Preparedness program in Joe Slovo, Milnerton, when the attack occurred. As the team left Joe Slovo and headed towards Phoenix, two armed men fired shots at their vehicle. Fortunately, no bullets struck the vehicle carrying Councillor Quintas and his team.

Other Incidents

In a similar incident, a contractor working on the resurfacing of Koeberg Road withdrew his team on the 17th of May 2023, due to local gangsters demanding protection money and threatening workers on site. The contractor was withdrawn from the site, and the City may be forced to abandon the project, as the risk to human lives is too great.

Other Urban Mobility projects affected by violence and threats include the following:

• On the 10th of May 2023, a contractor’s worker was shot and killed in Delft while working on a road rehabilitation project.
• The same day, a group of five men confronted and threatened a contractor working on the resurfacing of streets in Mfuleni, forcing them to stop work immediately.
• On the 24th of May 2023, gangsters halted a project on Epping Avenue in Elsies River Industrial.

Response and Call to Action

Councillor Quintas has called upon the National Police Commissioner and the Minister of Police to address these safety concerns and protect residents from criminals. To address this escalating issue, the City of Cape Town encourages the public to report information about extortion or criminal activities to the City’s Emergency Centre, either through the toll-free number 0800 1100 77 or by calling 107 from a cell phone.

Anonymous tips are welcomed, and rewards of R5,000 are offered for tip-offs that lead to arrests. Contractors have filed reports with the South African Police Service (SAPS) regarding the incidents, and the City is working closely with SAPS to address the safety concerns.