Cape Town - The Baseline Civil Construction site in Mandela Drive, where the Macassar housing project is under way, has become the latest victim of the Quantum Gang, a crime syndicate wreaking havoc in the area and surroundings.
Over the weekend four armed man in a Quantum minibus and an unidentified bakkie gained access to the construction site shortly after 11pm, tied up and assaulted two security guards on duty and made off with batteries and fuel from all the machines.
The cuffed guards were allegedly discovered in the morning by supervisors.
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said the police were investigating the business robbery. Twigg said no arrests had been made.
The area has over the past months been terrorised by armed criminal groups hijacking cars, robbing businesses and kidnapping employees.
Community leader Christiaan Steward said these criminal groups do not live in the ward.
“We want the housing project to continue and hopefully this won’t affect the provision of houses on time. We can’t afford to have other delays as a result of these criminal elements. The company must ensure more security guards are employed, especially during long weekend periods,” Steward said.
Ward councillor Peter Helfrich said the security guards were recovering in hospital. “In the past few months, there has been a spate of serious crime and murders in the area. Residents claim that no action is being taken to curtail this trend by SAPS in the area.
“Residents say they are fed up with the police as they are failing the residents dismally. They are not visible and not dealing with crime effectively.
“Residents are once again calling for police management to urgently visit the station in Macassar. They also want Police Minister Bheki Cele and SAPS management to attend a public meeting with residents so that they can listen to their concerns and urgently intervene, he said.
City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said over the past two years, the City’s human settlements directorate has had many criminal disruptions at key housing projects, aimed to benefit some of the most vulnerable residents of the metro.
Tyalibhongo said there was a worrying increase in the trend.
“This project, as with all City projects, dependents on community support and co-operation. It is impacted on or threatened by criminal acts and violence in general,” Tyhalibongo said, adding that the City remained committed to completing its projects in the shortest time frame possible.