CAPE TOWN - Philippi East residents should brace themselves for service delivery delays after two city sewer depot staff were robbed at gunpoint in the area at the weekend.
Their work vehicle, a Water and Sanitation vehicle which had all their belongings including cellphones, wallets and other items, was also stolen on Sunday.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said the circumstances leading to a robbery were being investigated following the incident in Myezo Drive Philippi East.
He said a 45-year-old man reported being robbed by two armed suspects.
By Monday afternoon, Mayco member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien confirmed that the vehicle had been recovered.
“Our staff were extremely traumatised and had to call the senior superintendent to pick them up to take them to Philippi police station. The City will not put the lives of our staff at risk by allowing them to go into well known hotspot communities.”
Badroodien said Philippi and Khayelitsha were hotspot areas and moving forward if there is no law enforcement or protection services accompaniment their staff will not respond to service requests.
“A few months ago the very same team was held up by six armed men in the same community. The City’s Water and Sanitation teams are continuing to respond to service requests in the area.
“Residents, however, can expect possible delays as arrangements need to be made for our teams to be escorted, which will be based on the availability of law enforcement, who also have other services to deliver,” he said.
According to Badroodien, while this was the first incident of this kind to be reported this year, seven vehicles were hijacked between May and October last year.
“We have not been informed of any successful arrests at this stage. I call upon all community members to stand up and report these criminals who prevent services from being rendered,” he said.
Ward councillor Mboniswa Citha condemned the incident.
“Residents are not forthcoming with information because they are scared that the same criminals will come for them. Most of the time the perpetrators are known in the community. We will keep on pleading and encouraging people to share information with us or other community leaders if they can’t with police.
“The issue of blocked drains and swerve spill is a huge problem especially in Lower Crossroads and Luzuko so we need these services,” said Citha.
Anyone with information on the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 0860 010 111, or SMS Crime Line on 32211.