Gangs Demand R10,000 for the Cape Town Municipality To Fix Sewage Pipes
- Residents in Cape Town neighbourhoods continue to battle a lack of service delivery and the impact of gangsterism
- Gangs have allegedly been demanding large sums of money to allow municipal workers to provide basic service delivery to communities
- Members of the community spoke about the impact of burst sewage pipes on their health
With 7 years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News journalist, provided coverage of current affairs, shedding light on critical social infrastructure challenges and unemployment.
Source: Getty Images
CAPE TOWN -- Members of communities in Cape Town, Western Cape, continue to wrestle with sewage water and a lack of service delivery as gangs attempt to extort the government to fix pipes and provide services.
According to IOL, community members in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, battle with sewage water. This was because gangsters were reportedly demanding that municipal workers pay R10,000 to fix burst pipes and sewage overflow.
Cape Town battles gangs and sewage water
Dr Zahid Badroodien, Cape Town's political head of water and sanitation, said that there are red zones in the city which municipal workers avoid due to the high crime rate in the area. He said that municipal workers will only attend to the leakages if it is safe for them to enter the red zones. He said municipal workers cannot provide essential services in the areas without putting themselves at risk.
Community members complain
Residents of Makhaza in Khayelitsha were on the receiving end of poor service delivery. Aphiwe Mhlungu, who lives in the township, said the stench of blocked drains and sewage water flowing onto the street is unbearable. He said that he cannot open his home's windows.
Another resident who also spoke to IOL, Sibongile Dlamini, said that the community was tired of living in filth. She said that the City takes too long to repair.
Source: Getty Images
Extortion in Cape Town
Law enforcement and the Cape Town government have wrestled with extortionists in the city. Foreign shop owners who are under the thumb of extortionists closed their shops after extortionists increased the protection fee. In August, 30 shops were reportedly closed because of extortionists.
The South African Police Service dismantled an extortion syndicate in Mfuleni in Cape Town. Six suspected extortionists were arrested on 18 September. Members of the Anti-Economic Crime Task Team and Provincial Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Policing Team conducted an operation after the suspects were accused of terrorising members of the community. The suspects were between the ages of 22 and 31.
Extortionists target Gift of the Givers
In a related article, Briefly News reported that extortionists in the Eastern Cape targeted Gift of the Givers. Staff victims experienced attempts at extorting money from them in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality.
Gift of the Givers' staff members were delivering water to communities affected by the floods in the Eastern Cape in June 2025. The extortionists' attempt to prevent members of the community from accessing water incensed netizens.
"Criminals feel entitled to breaking the law," one netizen said on social media.
Source: Briefly News
