The City of Cape Town has expressed concern regarding the increasing number of attacks on its waste services personnel. The recent incident in Gugulethu is the latest instance where the City’s refuse collection staff have had to be withdrawn due to threats of violence unless protection fees are paid.
The situation is not confined to Gugulethu alone, as other areas, such as Philippi East/Lower Crossroads and Nyanga, have also been affected.
A surge in gang-related violence in Manenberg has forced a temporary suspension of services until the area returns to a state of relative calm.
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The City of Cape Town has been compelled to take the precautionary step of temporarily suspending waste collection services in Gugulethu due to the alarming rise in criminal demands for protection money from the City. Collection teams in the area have reported being closely followed by armed individuals in vehicles.
Alderman Grant Twigg, the mayoral committee member for urban waste management, emphasised the urgency of the situation by calling upon the South African Police Service to investigate and swiftly apprehend those responsible for these criminal activities.
‘Criminals cannot be allowed to hijack service delivery in this way,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management,’ said Alderman Twigg.
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The City’s Urban Waste Management (UWM) Directorate is exploring various strategies to reinstate services in the affected areas as soon as possible. Collaboration with the Safety and Security Directorate is also underway to address this issue.
The City appealed to its residents in Gugulethu to refrain from illegal dumping of uncollected waste during this time. The City urged residents to stay updated via its social media channels for information regarding the clearance of existing waste backlogs and any potential adjustments to waste collection schedules.
Counselling support is reportedly being offered to the staff affected by these incidents.
In addition to Gugulethu, residents of Manenberg are informed that services have been temporarily halted due to the recent surge in gang violence in the area. The City assures residents that any waste backlog that accumulates during this period will be addressed as soon as it is believed safe for the UWM to resume operations.
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The city has established a dedicated tip-off line, available 24 hours a day at 0800 110077, where residents can provide information anonymously.
If the information leads to successful arrests or the recovery of stolen property or contraband, the informant may be offered a reward as an incentive to help law enforcement.
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Picture: City of Cape Town / Facebook