The City of Cape Town’s law enforcement department facilitated 10 700 security escort requests in the past year, as demand for protection of staff and service providers continues to outstrip available resources.
The surge represents a significant jump from the 2024/25 financial year, during which the unit averaged 275 escorts per month. In 2025/26, the monthly average climbed to 890, according to a City spokesperson.
A year ago, the City availed an additional R100 million for enforcement escorts amid increased attacks on staff and service providers. Key directorates of the escort unit include the water and sanitation, energy, urban mobility, urban waste management, human settlements, and community services and health.
Gang violence, extortion
According to the City, service requests are prioritised based on the risk rating of an area, with 16 policing precincts where risks include violent crime threats such as gang violence, hijacking, robbery, and extortion.
Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, said the growing demand reflects a broader crisis. “The increased need for escort duties to line departments is but another indicator of the complete disregard that criminals have for their communities and those who are trying to deliver services. The cost is immense, but the cost of not having the escort unit in place to protect staff would be even greater,” he said in a statement to the media.
“Last November, we also established an anti-hijacking unit, specifically to cover Khayelitsha, Strand and surrounds in an effort to curb hijacking incidents of City-owned vehicles.”
ALSO READ: City calls for expanded policing powers after alarming crime stats
The City is tracking attacks on staff, vehicle hijackings and extortion attempts daily through its Safety and Security Information Management Services.
The Safety and Security Investigation Unit has registered 292 extortion-related cases between 12 June 2017 and 22 April this year.
Reform needed
Smith called for urgent reform and greater cooperation from law enforcement agencies. “So apart from investing in human resources for escorts, we are also trying to work smarter to end this threat, but the toll on the directorate is significant due to increased overtime requirements because service delivery takes place 24/7,” he said.
The failures of the criminal justice system to remove these criminals from society are having severe consequences.
“Urgent reform is required within the criminal justice system to help municipalities deliver basic constitutionally mandated services to communities. We also call on the public to help where they can, by sharing information that can reduce the risk or track down criminals, and I also call on the South African Police Service and the NPA to start prioritising this threat with urgency.
“The failures of the criminal justice system to remove these criminals from society are having severe consequences, if they cannot do it, then they must allow local government the legal right to conduct investigations so that we can start catching and convicting the syndicates behind these attacks,” he added.
