Prasa to probe gang link claims related to Cape Town Central Line project
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) said an independent investigation would take place following claims of gang links.
Image: Ziphozonke Lushaba
Prasa has committed to an independent review of "serious" allegations regarding irregular subcontracting linked to the Cape Town Central Line recovery project, following an AmaBhungane report.
The report links alleged 28s gang leader Ralph Stanfield to securing a share of the multi-billion-rand reconstruction through PRASA's security chief. Companies linked to Stanfield and his wife, Nicole Johnson (e.g., Mzansi Securifire, which received about R600m), allegedly became subcontractors after violent disruptions created a demand for security.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is demanding a full PRASA investigation, suspension of implicated officials, blacklisting of gang-linked companies, and establishing the total funds they received, stressing the need to "shut down all potential avenues of funding to gangsterism."
In response to the Mayor’s call, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) said an independent investigation would take place.
“PRASA notes the recent reporting regarding alleged irregular subcontracting arrangements connected to the Cape Town Central Line recovery project,” said PRASA. “The allegations are of a serious nature, and PRASA does not take them lightly. In the interest of transparency and public accountability, PRASA has decided to institute a formal, independent review of the matters raised and test the veracity of the allegations.”
According to amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism, for years, this critical project has been marred by alleged deadly violence and plagued by apparent extortion.
It said in its latest report, that it is a continuation of amaBhungane's work dating back to 2022, when it first began scrutinising Stanfield's business empire, which allegedly extends into both the private sector and national government.
Stanfield and his wife are currently behind bars awaiting trial for other alleged crimes.
The Mayor also called for an investigation by the SAPS Provincial Commissioner into a September 2022 meeting at Manenberg Police Station, where the then-acting police commissioner allegedly introduced Stanfield-linked security SMMEs (GParm Protection Services, PPE Security and Projects, and Yibaninati) to a main contractor and PRASA executives to "resolve the security situation." Hill-Lewis called the implications of gang infiltration into SAPS "too serious to ignore."
Hill-Lewis further demanded that PRASA CEO Hisham Emeran "explain" his reported comments after contractor pushback about onboarding the identified SMMEs.
"I am calling on PRASA to suspend the implicated officials pending a full investigation, establish the total amount of contract funding that flowed to gang-linked companies, and pursue the blacklisting of those companies where applicable. We know this can be done as the City successfully ensured the national blacklisting of over a dozen gang-linked companies following our own investigations,” the Mayor stated.
The Cape Crime Crisis Coalition (C4) heeded the call by the Mayor and said it was fully aware of the allegations.