Cape Town - Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis joined cleaners in Kosovo in Samora Machel where solid waste contractors were threatened with extortion.
Urban waste management Mayco member Grant Twigg and safety and security Mayco member JP Smith were also present.
The visit took place two weeks after a man was shot and killed while working.
Hill-Lewis thanked the men and women who picked up where the contractors left off.
The City said it provided a door-to-door waste collection service in Kosovo informal settlement in Samora Machel, as well as ongoing area cleaning services, with skips provided in denser parts of the settlement.
“I want to thank our front line staff most sincerely for their bravery and perseverance in delivering basic services in Kosovo and the wider area of Philippi East.
“Constant threats of violence have led to the need for law enforcement protection just to keep services going for residents. We can put these extortionists behind bars with the help of the community.
“I am calling on Kosovo 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.”
Twigg said extortion had seen two of their contractors pull out in fear.
“They had been threatened and there was a life that was lost; he was a contract staff member. Some people want them to pay for working in their area.”
The mayor said they would continue to report these incidents to the police and had appointed a special investigator within the City’s safety and security directorate who will pursue cases where information may lead to arrests and convictions.
Smith said 80% of the City’s law enforcement staff escorted service providers into extortion hot spots.
“This is incapacitating our ability to do other work. We have other core business we are responsible for but can’t do.
“On a bad day 80% of our time and energy is taken up by escorts and 60% of that take-up is solid waste and the other is shared by other departments. And this is because solid waste is slow-moving through the community and they are highly visible and become victims, and the contractors too.
“This is a citywide crisis and in a week or two we’ll be rolling out facility protection officers but that is not a sustainable solution because we can’t be everywhere where the contractors are and every day.”
Smith said the long-term goal was to secure convictions.
“They must be arrested, charged, convicted and go to prison.
“Otherwise we won’t have a sustainable country.”
Smith said the extortionists had asked for 30% of the take by the contractors.
“Every City tender that goes (out), they’d approach the contractor and attempt to lay claim to 30% on the basis of local labour or security.
“If you don’t pay, they shoot near the site or at the site and we have to deploy security companies which they try to take over as well.”
The City offers rewards of up to R5 000 for information leading to arrests of anyone targeting City staff with extortion and violence across the metro. People are urged to anonymously call 0800 110 077.