CAPE TOWN – A contractor working on the MyCiti Metro South East corridor transport project has been terminated following poor performance, while a site manager was shot in what officials believe was an extortion-related incident.
The contract with the original vendor was terminated on 5 January “due to consistent poor performance,” the Sub-council 12 meeting heard on 22 January.
Reading from an email that was sent by the project’s manager, regional manager Alicia Bosman said: “The matter was referred to legal offices. After careful consideration the contract was terminated.”
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To get the project back on track the manager has initiated “accelerated procurement processes”.
Site manager shot
In a separate incident, a site manager was shot in a non-fatal attack that caused the MyCiti construction site to closed temporarily in Khayelitsha. Officials believe the shooting may be linked to extortion threats targeting contractors working on the project.
Bosman, who was standing in for the sub-council manager, still reading from the email, said the site manager from Martin and East was shot three times last Friday (16 January).
“The individual will make a full recovery as the wounds were flesh wounds only,” she said.
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The incident occurred a few hundred metres from the Khayelitsha Fire Department, which responded immediately, and a case was logged with Khayelitsha police for investigation.
The site has been temporarily closed following the shooting while an operational deployment plan was being prepared to coordinate protection measures.
“A meeting with [Public Safety] Commissioner [Robbie] Roberts and SAPS is scheduled to coordinate protection,” Bosman said.
Pattern of extortion incidents
Bosman said the investigation revealed that the shooting was linked to an extortion attempt against the contractor.
The incident follows a pattern of extortion targeting major infrastructure projects in Cape Town.
Last year the City of Cape Town is took out an urgent interdict to protect the MyCiTi bus depots, shortly after its completion, after a group of would-be extortionists forcibly removed security guards and threatened to vandalise the R430-million facility. The group removed the legitimately-appointed security presence from the depot on the corner of Spine Road and Mew Way between Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain, reiterating threats to disrupt operations unless their preferred security company was appointed.
In other incidents contractors working on various MyCiti projects have previously received death threats, and in some instances essential services such as waste collection have been withdrawn for worker safety.
The City of Cape Town has launched an anti-extortion campaign, including a 24-hour hotline and reward system, to encourage residents to report such activities.
Security response planned
Officials are preparing an operational deployment plan that will involve coordination between multiple law-enforcement agencies and private security to protect workers and infrastructure.
A formal report on both the contract termination and security incident will be submitted to sub-councils 12 and 17 by 23 January, according to meeting records.
The MyCiti Metro South East corridor project forms part of the City’s R7 billion Phase 2A expansion, aimed at connecting communities in Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with the broader transport network. The project is designed to provide direct, scheduled, safe and affordable public transport to more than 30 communities.
