Cape Town - Police say “information from ground level” about protection money being paid to the Hard Livings gang by city-contracted construction companies refurbishing flats in Manenberg is not enough to warrant an investigation.
On Sunday, Jeremy Vearey, head of Operation Combat, a police operation targeting gangsterism in the province, said he had been notified of the situation in Manenberg, but needed a statement under oath to officially investigate.
“We received information from ground level which indicated these activities were taking place, but information is information. We need a statement under oath to form the basis of a case docket and then we can investigate,” Vearey said.
Vearey mentioned a report published on Sunday in the Weekend Argus, the Cape Times’s sister newspaper, that revealed an e-mail from safety and security mayoral committee member JP Smith to other city officials, dated December 12, had been leaked.
Smith confirmed this on Sunday. He said he had been made aware of the allegations in December last year.
“In the e-mail, I basically said that all the information we have needs to go to the SAPS because it is a criminal offence in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act and must be criminally prosecuted.
“I made it clear that the dossier be handed over and the complaint made to a senior police officer,” Smith said.
Vearey said: “We have not seen or received any dossier yet.”
Smith said he would be meeting with the city’s human settlements department and the construction companies this week.
“Either we will hire city law enforcement as security or we will select a panel of security companies and choose one to work there,” he said.
Mayco member for human settlements Benedicta van Minnen said the city was investigating two construction companies.
“Initially there was H & I Construction, and now there is Good Hope Construction. We are busy with our investigation and will be meeting again this week to discuss the way forward. The refurbishments will continue this week and we are on track to finish in June,” she said.
Good Hope Construction chief executive Raziek Rajah denied that his company was being investigated.
“It must be made clear that according to the city, we are not under investigation. They have made contact to confirm this.”
Rajah refused to be drawn on whether his workers were asked to pay gangsters protection money.
Attempts to reach H & I Construction for comment proved fruitless.
Cape Times