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News24 reports that the City of Cape Town has been forced to spend R8.5 million on private security amid threats and intimidation against staff in high-risk areas.
The City's water and sanitation department reports that since July last year, teams have faced 22 hijackings, including incidents in Khayelitsha, Philippi and Mfuleni. Out of 52 robberies, 16 were at gunpoint. Robbery incidents occurred in Khayelitsha, Blue Downs, Philippi, Strand, Gugulethu, Fisantekraal, Athlone and Bishop Lavis. Stolen items include cellphones, watches, 12 meter-reading devices, 14 tablets, and personal protective equipment (PPE) essential for field operations. This situation led to the City spending over R8.5 million on private security escorts in the 2023/24 financial year alone. Last month, two security contractor personnel escorting City staff in Philippi's Phola Park were shot dead. On Friday, one of two private security escorts, who were guarding a sewage pump station in Athlone while an electrical contractor was working at the facility, was also shot dead. Zahid Badroodien, the City's mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, indicated: “Threats to staff safety endanger employees and disrupt service delivery to our residents, potentially affecting community health and wellbeing, as well as causing emotional trauma to staff." He added that staff were unable to access certain areas due to safety concerns, leading to delays in maintenance and repairs, which compromised the quality of the service.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Marvin Charles at News24
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