News24.com | City of Cape Town to appoint special investigator amid refuse collection extortion threats

Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis joined City waste removal staff to show solidarity and thank them for their efforts to sustain basic services to the Kosovo informal settlement and broader Philippi East amidst violent threats and extortion attempts affecting refuse collection.

• The City of Cape Town will appoint a special investigator within the safety and security directorate to investigate cases of extortion. 
• On Monday, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis joined City waste removal staff to show solidarity in Philippi East amid violent threats and extortion attempts affecting refuse collection.
• The City will also launch a Facility Protection Unit, which will provide escorts by law enforcement for staff where needed.

The City of Cape Town will appoint a special investigator within its safety and security directorate to investigate cases of extortion affecting refuse collection.

On Monday, Mayor Geordan Hill-Lewis joined waste removal staff to show solidarity and thank them for their efforts to sustain basic services to the Kosovo informal settlement and broader Philippi East amid violent threats and extortion attempts.

Law enforcement has been escorting City frontline delivery staff to ensure services continue in the area.

During a clean-up with staff in the area, Hill-Lewis made a public call for information leading to the arrest of extortionists.

Contractors servicing shipping containers had been prevented from operating in Kosovo with demands of protection fees by local extortionists.

Vehicles had also been damaged.

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In Samora Machel/Brown's Farm, a contractor has been unable to service the area for most of April, given the extent of the threats.

"We can put these extortionists behind bars with the help of the community.

"I am calling on Philippi East residents and anyone with information to come forward so that we can arrest those blocking services for residents.

"The City is committed to ensuring basic service delivery and a clean environment for residents, and we will never back down for extortionists," Hill-Lewis said.

He added they would continue to report these incidents to the police.

The special investigator within the City's Safety and Security Directorate will pursue cases where information may lead to arrests and convictions. 

Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management Grant Twigg said the City's waste management service had been severely disrupted in Philippi East by extortionists in recent weeks.

"We have been able to resume services thanks to law enforcement escorts helping to protect our staff.

"However, it is not sustainable for law enforcement to provide these protection services in hotspots across the City indefinitely.

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"The public and SAPS must work with us to arrest extortionists and ensure consequences for this heinous criminality that disrupts basic service delivery for the poorest residents," he added. 

The City's Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, said, in response to widespread threats to staff and facilities, the City would soon launch a Facility Protection Unit, which would also provide escorts for staff where needed.

"However, we also need meaningful arrests and prosecutions, and I renew my call to SAPS to formally constitute the kidnapping and extortion task team that the City has been calling for," he added.