Cape Town security guards shot dead during pipe repair

The City of Cape Town pointed the finger at alleged extortionists after two armed security guards escorting city staff carrying out repairs to a sewer pipe in Philippi, Cape Town, were shot dead on Tuesday.

The guards drove to the site in Phola Park while a city vehicle transported five employees.

While the crew were inspecting the pipe, “two armed men approached the city vehicle and another two headed to the toilet block, where multiple shots were fired”, the city said.

“While the city staff and residents fled to safety, the private security guards died. A female city staff member was injured in a hard fall.”

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced a R100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the suspects.

Tactical response and security escort services are being provided to staff and contractors in the Philippi area because of ongoing safety threats.

“We as a city are shocked at the senseless act which has claimed the lives of two men at work serving the community,” water and sanitation member of the mayoral committee Zahid Badroodien said.

“Arrangements have been made for staff to receive medical attention and trauma counselling. These horrendous experiences affect everyone, especially those working at the forefront of service delivery,” he said.

“In hotspot areas particularly, the city works closely with community leaders to ensure service delivery can continue despite many challenges. No unrest was reported before the team being deployed in this instance.

“The alarming number of attacks on staff while on duty, working to maintain a dignified service standard in informal settlements, led to the city spending more than R8.5m for private security escorts in the 2023/2024 financial year. Unfortunately ruthless targeting persists and has now claimed two more innocent lives,” said Badroodien.

City staff were robbed in two separate incidents last Wednesday while attending to a blocked sewer pipe in Clarke Estate, Elsies River, and a burst water pipe in Blue Downs.

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