The City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Escort Unit has responded to an impressive 10,700 requests over the past twelve months.
This surge in demand highlights the urgent need for protection services as violent crime poses significant threats to municipal workers and service providers.
A year prior, the City allocated an additional R100 million to bolster the escort services, with the hope of improving safety amid rising attacks. However, as the latest figures reveal, this investment has not sufficiently met the escalating requirements for these critical services.
During the 2024/25 financial year, the Law Enforcement Department facilitated an average of 275 escorts per month across various service departments. Fast forward to the 2025/26 period, and that number has skyrocketed to an average of 890 escorts monthly, underscoring a desperate reality faced by essential service providers in crime-prone areas.
The City’s key clients for these escort services include departments such as Water & Sanitation, Energy, Urban Mobility, Urban Waste Management, Human Settlements, and Community Services and Health. Service requests are meticulously assessed, with priority given to areas based on their risk rating.
Currently, 16 policing precincts are classified as high-risk, where violent crime, including gang violence, hijackings, robberies, and extortion, runs rampant.
‘The increased need for escort duties is a grim indicator of the profound disregard that criminals have for our communities,’ remarked Alderman JP Smith, the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.
‘While the costs associated with these operations are immense, the expense of not having an escort unit in place to protect our staff would be far greater,’
In response to the alarming number of hijackings, the City established an Anti-Hijacking Unit (AHU) last November, targeting specific areas such as Khayelitsha and Strand, where hijacking incidents of City-owned vehicles have become increasingly prevalent.
To tackle the issue comprehensively, the City is actively monitoring attacks on staff, vehicle hijackings, and extortion attempts through its Safety and Security Information Management Services.
Since 2017, the Safety and Security Investigation Unit has registered 292 cases related to extortion, further emphasizing the need for robust protective strategies.
‘In addition to investing in human resources for escorts, we are also striving to enhance our operational efficiency to mitigate this danger. However, the toll on our directorate has been profound, with increased overtime becoming a necessity as service delivery continues around the clock,’ Smith continued.
‘Urgent reform is required within the criminal justice system to empower municipalities to deliver the constitutionally mandated basic services our communities rely on,’
Moreover, Smith extended a plea to the public, urging them to assist where possible by sharing information that could help reduce risks or aid in apprehending criminals.
He called on the South African Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prioritise crime threats with urgency, citing failures in the criminal justice system that have severe implications for community safety.
‘If they cannot effectively remove these criminals from society, local government should be granted the legal authority to conduct investigations,’ Smith concluded.
Incidents of crime can be reported to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre by calling 021 480 7700. Additionally, community members are encouraged to share tips for potential rewards through the City’s 24-hour tip-off line at 0800 110 077.
Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join!
Also read:
Picture: JP Smith / Facebook
