Cape Town - An alleged Hard Livings gang boss has emerged as a central figure in allegations that city-contracted construction companies paid gangsters in Manenberg for security services. The matter is now the focus of a police investigation.
Weekend Argus last week reported that a city-contracted construction company, or companies, allegedly paid gangsters for security. In an e-mail leaked to Weekend Argus, security mayoral committee member JP Smith said the city could be implicated in contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
Various sources said the alleged hiring of gangsters as security had fuelled an ongoing gang war in Manenberg.
This week, police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut said the allegations were being probed.
Weekend Argus understands a suspected central figure in the Hard Livings gang, involved in the construction industry, was linked to the allegations. His name is known to Weekend Argus, but he did not reply to requests for comment.
Sources said the alleged gang boss, who was once former Hard Livings leader Rashied Staggie’s right-hand man, had been instrumental in supplying gangsters to work as security guards.
The sources said the alleged gang boss ran a construction company, now apparently deregistered, that a city-contracted company had then used to employ security services.
Though the company was deregistered, it is understood its employees were still hired.
It was not clear if the city-contracted company, which declined to comment on the matter, was aware of the allegations that a gang boss ran the company they used.
Sources said because of the alleged gang head’s standing in Manenberg, and because his allies were used as security, tensions between the Hard Livings and rival gangs had flared.
The suspected gang boss has had a number of brushes with the law, the most recent involving his arrest after he was found with nearly R1 million cash allegedly hidden in the vehicle he was driving.
Weekend Argus