Cleaning of some 300 concrete-slab toilets in Kraaifontein’s shanty towns has been stopped since Monday after a municipal contractor received an extortion threat, says the City.
In a statement, the mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, sent a copy of a letter that had allegedly been sent to the contractor.
The letter read: “We as protection guys, we want your truck to pay protection fee here in Kraaifontein. Otherwise your truck will not work again here.”
Dr Badroodien said the threat had made it necessary to withdraw the service because of safety concerns.
“We need to make additional arrangements to support this service provider with additional security and law enforcement services in order to ensure there is a continuity of these essential services.
“The City undertakes all efforts to try and ensure a smooth and reliable service delivery, but we can not allow the lives and safety of our staff members and contractors to be put in harm’s way as a result of these extortion threats.”
