Criminals preventing service delivery in Dunoon with threats, violence
29 June 2020
Statement by the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Alderman Felicity Purchase
A small group of criminals is preventing much needed service delivery in Dunoon with the burning of buses, violent protests, intimidation and threats. This situation has become untenable, with the disrupting of a major construction project, delays in road maintenance, and sabotage of the MyCiTi service.
Apart from the health crisis, COVID-19 is posing a serious threat to our local economy. Residents’ livelihoods are under threat and the City is taking financial strain as our resources are stretched to the limit.
Every cent must be spent wisely, and the return on investment must be reflected in the improvement of service delivery on the ground.
Those who are destroying City infrastructure and delaying service delivery projects, are taking food off the table of the most vulnerable among us. The money the City must spend on replacing the assets that have been destroyed by violent protesters could have been invested in uplifting communities across Cape Town.
On 20 June 2020 two of our MyCiTi buses were torched at Potsdam Road and the Omuramba station respectively. We need every available bus to ensure that commuters can practice social distancing while commuting – the torching of these buses has put an additional strain on our resources.
The construction of the new minibus-taxi facility in Dunoon has been disrupted time and time again by thugs going on site and threatening the contractor. These delays cost money. Also, minibus-taxi operators and commuters will have to wait longer for a decent and safe transport facility.
Furthermore, the City was supposed to commence with a roads maintenance project in Dunoon on 17 June 2020. Through this project, we intend to resurface eight of the busiest roads in this community. However, due to the ongoing violence, intimidation, and threats to demolish equipment, the contractor cannot go on site and put workers’ lives in danger.
The following roads form part of this project:
The work will take only two weeks to complete, yet, we cannot go ahead due to the volatility.
The local ward councillor in Dunoon has been briefed about this project and fully supports it, as do local community leaders, the broader community and the Dunoon Taxi Association.
I have also been informed that business owners from Dunoon who own land and industries in the area, are extremely concerned about the impact of the violent protests on their businesses, prospects of future private investment in the area, and the impact this is having on those who rely on jobs coming from these industries.
I call on residents from Dunoon to please assist us to get these projects going, and to support our efforts in providing services that will benefit them greatly.
Any person with information about those responsible for the attacks on the MyCiTi service, and the disruption of the construction of the new minibus-taxi facility, and the roads project must please report this to the police, or the Transport Information Centre on 0800 65 64 63.
As one City, working together, we can achieve a lot and improve lives and livelihoods.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
