The Western Cape High Court has granted a final interdict protecting construction of the MyCiTi Cape Flats route expansion from extortion, intimidation and unlawful interference, the City of Cape Town said on Tuesday.
Who is restrained by the order
The order, granted on 4 August, names individual and group respondents including Don Sikhundla, Senzo Ntlaka, the Philippi Business Forum and the Crossroads Business Forum, and extends to “all other persons” unlawfully interfering with works linked to the IRT Phase 2A project along Govan Mbeki Road in Philippi and other sites along the Lansdowne/Wetton Corridor.
It bars the respondents from obstructing or stopping construction works, from threatening or intimidating City officials, staff, contractors or community members on the project, and from entering construction sites without prior written permission from the City’s project manager or an authorised representative. The court awarded costs to the City.
“Extortion is a crime. Full stop,”
The City’s Mayoral Committee member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, welcomed the order, saying it will shield the project’s workers and contractors and allow the rollout to proceed. He described the finalisation of the interdict as a “major victory” for the City and communities slated to benefit from the expansion.
Scale and local impact
City documents and statements say the Cape Flats MyCiTi expansion is expected to benefit about 1.4 million residents across 30 neighbourhoods. The IRT Phase 2A elements named in the interdict form part of the broader Urban Mobility programme that aims to extend high‑capacity bus services in the southern and eastern areas of the metro.
The City said the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been directed to assist with enforcement of the interdict. In addition, the court order gives municipal officials a legal tool to prevent unauthorised access to active construction zones and to pursue action where threats or demands for protection money occur.
Why the order matters
- Protecting workers and contractors: The interdict is intended to stop threats and extortion that have delayed construction and increased costs.
- Securing project delivery: Preventing unlawful interference should reduce interruptions to the programme and help maintain timelines.
- Community benefit: The expansion is framed by the City as improving public-transport connectivity across dozens of Cape Flats neighbourhoods.
Delays caused by criminal interference can have long lead times and knock‑on effects for related infrastructure work. The City framed the court decision as not only protecting a single contract but also enabling confidence across other Urban Mobility projects that have been affected by similar behaviour.
Legal and enforcement next steps
With the interdict now in place, the City said it will pursue enforcement where necessary and urged anyone with relevant information about criminal conduct affecting the project to come forward. The order makes clear that unauthorised entry onto construction sites is prohibited and that those who continue to obstruct works may face legal consequences.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court order granted | 4 August |
| Named respondents | Don Sikhundla; Senzo Ntlaka; Philippi Business Forum; Crossroads Business Forum |
| Project | MyCiTi IRT Phase 2A — Govan Mbeki Road (Philippi) and Lansdowne/Wetton Corridor |
| Beneficiaries | ~1.4 million residents across 30 neighbourhoods |
The City also said the court awarded costs to the municipality. It did not provide further detail in its statement on how enforcement will be resourced or on any timeline adjustments to the project schedule.
Context
Infrastructure delivery in the metro has at times faced obstruction from criminal elements demanding payments or using threats to halt works. The City says such interference stalls service delivery and denies communities the benefits of planned projects. By securing a final interdict, officials aim to reduce the risk to ongoing construction and to provide legal clarity for SAPS and municipal project teams tasked with keeping works on site safe.
As the expansion advances, residents and commuters along the Cape Flats corridor will be watching whether the order translates into uninterrupted construction and, ultimately, improved public-transport services in historically under-served neighbourhoods.
Riaan Bester, Western Cape Correspondent (Cape Town)
