A reward of R5 000 has been offered for tip-offs that lead to suspects’ arrests after an attack on Mayco member Rob Quintas earlier this week.
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The mayoral committee member for urban mobility survived a shooting incident on Wednesday when the vehicle he was travelling in came under attack on Democracy Way in Phoenix.
The City’s VIP Protection Unit injured one of the suspects, and he was arrested.
This shooting incident follows a series of violent attacks and threats against urban mobility officials and contractors, including the contractor working on the resurfacing of Koeberg Road, not far from where the shooting incident occurred.
Quintas was conducting an oversight visit for the City’s Winter Preparedness programme in Joe Slovo, Milnerton.
On the way out of Joe Slovo, heading towards Phoenix, two armed men started firing shots at his vehicle.
‘I am extremely grateful this morning that we escaped this attack unharmed,’ Quintas said yesterday. ‘This terrible experience made me realise how dangerous it has become to deliver services to our communities.’
‘In fact, I dare say we are now at a point where it has become nearly impossible to do our work without armed patrols. Criminals demand protection money from the city and contractors and because we refuse to pay, we are under constant threat of being attacked, or our machinery and assets get stolen with many staff being exposed to violence in the course of carrying out their duties.’
‘These syndicates and other criminals pose a serious threat to service delivery, not only in Cape Town, but across the country. I am calling on the National Police Commissioner and the Minister of Police to do their duty, and keep residents safe from thugs. This cannot continue, and we will not be able to provide services if it puts the lives of staff and contractors in danger,’ he added.
On 17 May, the contractor responsible for roadworks on Koeberg Road in Brooklyn withdrew his workers and machinery from the site.
‘This project was forced to a standstill earlier this year as well. Given that the contractor refused to pay protection money, the criminals have made it impossible for work to continue on site. Two cases have been reported to the police in Milnerton. At this point, the City may be forced to abandon this project because we cannot risk human lives,’ said Councillor Quintas.
Several other urban mobility projects have also been impacted.
On 10 May, a contractor’s worker was shot and killed in Delft while working on a road rehabilitation project.
On the same day, a group of five men confronted and threatened a contractor working on the resurfacing of streets in Mfuleni. The contractor had to stop work immediately.
In another incident on Wednesday, a group of gangsters stopped a project on Epping Avenue in Elsies River Industrial.
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CoCT’s VIP Unit thwarts attack on Mayco member for urban mobility
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