Uitsig is struggling with a 165% increase in sewer blockages due to outdated infrastructure and incorrect waste disposal practices. Despite a pipeline replacement project starting in July 2023, only 8.2% completion has been achieved due to the dual threats of extortion and public safety. The City has set up a 24hour hotline for anonymous reporting of incidents of extortion and urges residents to be mindful of what they discard to ensure a cleaner, safer, and more efficient Uitsig.
Cape Town is facing a rising criminal underworld that is causing chaos in its townships and disrupting essential services like trash collection. Criminal syndicates are holding city workers at gunpoint and forcing them to stop work until protection payments are made. This situation is having a human toll on the workers and is a matter of survival. The city is responding by implementing policy changes, encouraging victims to speak out, and working with law enforcement to dismantle the criminal networks.
In Philippi, Cape Town, a 17yearold boy was fatally shot for filming an act of extortion on his mobile phone. The culprits targeted him to get their hands on the phone holding the evidence of their illicit activities. Despite his injuries, the teenager tried to escape but later died in hospital. The community, law enforcement, and city officials have since rallied together to combat extortion and ensure public safety.
Toilets in Cape Town’s RR Section informal settlement have been overflowing with waste for almost a month due to a local extortion group targeting the cleaning company responsible for maintaining the facilities. The group demanded money for protection and threatened to kill workers if they returned without paying. Residents have been left with no choice but to use alternative methods such as buckets or going outside. The situation highlights the negative impact of extortion on service delivery and the daily lives of residents, prompting Cape Town Mayor Geordin HillLewis to initiate an AntiExtortion Campaign.
Construction companies and infrastructure developers in South Africa have been facing a persistent and costly problem of extortion by the construction mafia. These criminal groups have embedded themselves within the industry, exploiting security breaches and illegal land occupations to extort millions and bring projects to a halt.
The City’s Urban Mobility Directorate has faced a surge in criminal activities, particularly extortion, which threatens the safety of transport capital projects worth R58.6 million. These projects are significant as they are meant to serve vulnerable communities in need of efficient service delivery.
The City of Cape Town’s waste removal staff is facing violent threats and extortion attempts while delivering services in the Kosovo informal settlement and the surrounding Philippi East area. Despite the challenges, the City’s frontline delivery staff continues to provide doortodoor waste collection, area cleaning services, and waste disposal shipping containers.
