The City has temporarily withdrawn electricity services staff from Eerste River after contractors were threatened with extortion and forced off site on Friday.
No one was injured and the teams managed to exit the area unharmed, the City said, adding its Public Lighting teams and contractors will return to the area once safe to do so.
Mayco member for energy, Beverley van Reenen, condemned the incident and called on those with information to come forward and assist authorities to curb extortion related crimes.
“It is alarming to hear that our staff were violently threatened while carrying out a much needed public lighting project in the community.
“Our teams work hard to ensure that we attend to public lighting in all areas of the metro and it is sad to see them being threatened with violence while delivering these essential services in our communities.
“When these incidents occur, our teams temporarily withdraw from the area and return with security or when it is safe to do so. This can result in project delays.
“We condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms and urge the community to come forward with information so that guilty parties can be held accountable for their actions,” she said.
Anyone with information on the incident can anonymously contact the City’s tip off line at: 0800 1100 77, or call Crime Stop on Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Cape Times