By Buziwe Nocuze
- Extortionists in Heideveld force residents to pay up to R500 for basic services.
- The City says no one is allowed to charge for using free water and toilets.
Extortion gangs in Cape Town are now going after the poorest residents by demanding money for access to basic services.
People living in the Heideveld informal settlement say they are being forced to pay just to use toilets and collect water from taps.
Some are being forced to pay between R100 and R500 a month or risk losing access to these free basic services.
The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Mayoral Committee Member, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, slammed the practice and said the City has a zero-tolerance policy for extortion.
“These services are provided free of charge to over 487 informal settlements,” he said. “No one is allowed to lock or deny access to toilets or taps in exchange for money.”
Badroodien said residents who can’t afford the lump sum payment are forced to make smaller payments over the month just to survive.
“Sadly, many are too scared to speak out or report what’s happening,” he said.
He urged residents to report extortion by calling the City’s emergency line on 021 7700 or 107 from a landline and said reports can be made anonymously.
One resident said they feared this would happen.
“Last year in Gugulethu, extortionists demanded money from a family building a big house — they said the family had too much money.”
She warned that working people might be next.
“Soon they’ll be charging people for having jobs. It’s sad, but people are so scared they’ll use their kids’ grant money just to pay. They can’t live without water and toilets.”
Pictured above: Cape Town extortionists have been locking toilets and taps, demanding residents to pay them.
Image source: City of Cape Town
