<\/p>\n
The City of Cape Town has obtained a court interdict preventing the South African National Civics Association (Sanco) and others from entering a MyCiTI bus depot in Spine Road or threatening staff.<\/p>\n
The City said last month the group removed security guards from the site and threatened to disrupt operations unless their chosen security company was appointed. Sanco has denied the accusations.<\/p>\n
As extortion tightens its stranglehold on Cape Town, the City is hitting back in court. But some township victims are in hiding, in fear of their lives.<\/p>\n
Last week, the Western Cape High Court granted the City of Cape Town an interim interdict preventing the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) from entering the MyCiTI Spine Road depot without the City\u2019s express permission.<\/p>\n
The interdict orders Sanco and others to stop damaging City property or \u201cintimidating, threatening\/harassing, or assaulting\u201d City officials and staff, Bidvest staff, and users of the depots. It also orders them to stop preventing people entering or leaving and stop obstructing the entrances and exits.<\/p>\n
The interdict also orders Sanco not to organise protests near the depot and \u201cnot to damage any of the City\u2019s assets and\/or facilities at the depots concerned\u201d.<\/p>\n
According to the City, \u201con Monday, 24 November, the group forcibly removed from site the legitimately appointed security presence and reiterated threats to disrupt or vandalise the facility unless their preferred security company was appointed\u201d.<\/p>\n
This followed an \u201cambushed\u201d meeting with City officials the previous week \u201cduring which community members issued direct threats in the event their demands were not met,\u201d the City said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese demands include the removal of the legally-appointed service provider, Bidvest, to be replaced by Sibakhulu, a company that was subcontracted to provide security services during the construction of the depot\u201d.<\/p>\n
Sanco has strongly denied the claims and accused the City of side-lining local businesses in favour of big companies. Western Cape spokesperson Buntu Gwija rejected \u201cunsubstantiated allegations linking its officials to extortion\u201d.<\/p>\n
Gwija said \u201cshould credible evidence ever emerge against any member,\u201d Sanco would act \u201cdecisively and without hesitation\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo date, no credible report, complaint or evidence has ever been brought to Sanco or to law-enforcement authorities implicating any Sanco official in such activities. On the contrary, Sanco leaders have been some of the most vocal and courageous adversaries of extortion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assassinations<\/strong><\/p>\n Gwija said several Sanco leaders who had taken a public stand against extortion had been assassinated:<\/p>\n He said extortion was one of the most serious threats facing communities in Cape Town, especially on the Cape Flats.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n CONTINUE READING BELOW<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt is criminal, destructive and morally indefensible. Extortion robs communities of peace, dignity and economic opportunity, and it places innocent people in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cThe City of Cape Town must adopt a stronger, coordinated and intelligence-driven response to extortion. This includes closer collaboration with SAPS, improved protection for whistleblowers and victims, faster prosecution of known extortion networks and more transparent systems that prevent criminal infiltration.\u201d<\/p>\n But, he said, many local businesses felt sidelined by the City.<\/p>\n \u201cOften, information about City projects does not reach local businesses in time, or the criteria are structured in ways that unintentionally exclude smaller community-based businesses.<\/p>\n \u201cTo change this, the City must adopt more inclusive and accessible systems, improve communication at ward level and recognise the importance of involving local people in the development of their own areas,\u201d Gwija said.<\/p>\n Victim in hiding<\/strong><\/p>\n A businessman in Khayelitsha, himself a victim of extortion, also complained that the City of Cape Town overlooked local businesses.<\/p>\n \u201cResidents and businesspeople in Khayelitsha, and other townships in Cape Town, need to be given a fair chance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The man said he had been assaulted by extortionists several times, and ordered to \u201cleave the area\u201d. He has been in hiding for a year after being hounded out of his home and had his businesses taken over by extortionists who, he says, will stop at nothing in order to get their way.<\/p>\n The man, 60, who asked not to be named, ran several cleaning and security businesses. GroundUp was told by several residents and other former business owners that their livelihoods \u2013- and their lives -\u2013 had been torn apart by extortionists.<\/p>\n \u201cI lost everything \u2013 my home, my businesses and my entire livelihood. I came close to losing my life,\u201d the man said.<\/p>\n \u201cI was constantly threatened and intimidated, and my family\u2019s lives were in constant danger. I was in hell.\u201d<\/p>\n He said extortion is \u201ccrippling the economy in black communities\u201d.<\/p>\n Khayelitsha, he said, \u201cis no longer a place for clean businesses, but for people who kill and coerce companies that are here to invest in local communities.\u201d<\/p>\n R100-million to protect staff<\/strong><\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT:<\/p>\n CONTINUE READING BELOW<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Asked to respond to Gwija\u2019s comments, City\u2019s spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said: \u201cThe City has no further comment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs per the court order, the relevant respondents, inclusive of Sanco, are to represent their case to the Western Cape High Court by Friday 20 February 2026 as to why a final order should not be granted.\u201d<\/p>\n Councillor Rob Quintas, the City\u2019s mayco member responsible for transport, said over R100-million had been allocated to protecting City staff and contractors across various sites.<\/p>\n \u201cBetween September 2024 and March 2025, more than 1,900 escorts were conducted, coordinated by the City\u2019s Safety and Security Directorate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe group responsible for these extortion activities appears to consist of individuals affiliated with organisations such as Sanco. The exact composition of the group is still being verified,\u201d Quintas said.<\/p>\n Tyhalibongo said the City had called for an integrated extortion team with SAPS. \u201cBut this would need to be led by SAPS as they have the constitutionally mandated investigative powers.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, since the launch of the City\u2019s anti-extortion campaign in 2023, the Safety and Security Directorate has actively worked to bring cases to the attention of SAPS for further investigation,\u201d Tyhalibongo said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe crime of extortion is endemic in our communities, but it is not fully understood,\u201d said Ndithini Tyhido, leader of the ANC in the council. He said the real extortionists survived because the wrong people were accused.<\/p>\n \u201cWe call on the politicians responsible for the running of the City to desist from the criminalisation of community struggles as an easy way out from the sometimes-complex public participation processes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Police response<\/strong><\/p>\n SAPS Western Cape spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut, said \u201cextortion remains a priority focus area for SAPS in this province\u201d.<\/p>\n He said the Extortion Task Team and detectives attached to specialised units including the Anti-Gang Unit and Organised Crime Investigation teams, were making progress dismantling criminal networks responsible for extortion. \u201cNumerous suspects have been arrested for extortion, intimidation, conspiracy to commit extortion and related violent crimes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cSAPS has seen notable successes, including arrests of targets linked to organised extortion groups, the disruption of planned attacks, and the securing of several court appearances for accused extortionists,\u201d Traut added.<\/p>\n \u00a9 2025 GroundUp. This article was first published\u00a0here.<\/p>\n Follow Moneyweb\u2019s in-depth finance and business news on WhatsApp here.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
To date, Gwija said, \u201cwe have not heard or seen any progress, or anyone arrested\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n