A letter allegedly distributed to community leaders in Philippi East has instilled significant fear in this Cape Town township, causing students to avoid school and businesses to shut their doors.
According to Xolile Matshaya, a community leader in the Marcus Garvey neighbourhood of Philippi, a gangster handed him a letter with the following message:
Dear Community
There are new tax collectors from Marcus Garvey. Do not give these lower Crossroads boys money ever again, or else we will kill every Somalian.
Thank you. Be informed Collection date is on the 05th every month.Yours Faithfully
Marcus Garvey
In Philippi, Somali nationals are commonly associated with running the township’s spaza shops. While GroundUp cannot verify the letter’s authenticity, its impact is undeniable, creating widespread panic.
Attempts to interview Somali spaza shop owners proved fruitless as they were reluctant to comment on the situation.
At Phakama High School, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond reported that only 20 out of over 1,300 learners attended class on Monday. Vukani Primary School saw the highest attendance with about 430 out of 1,200 learners showing up.
A teacher at Phakama High informed GroundUp that on Tuesday, even fewer students arrived, with most continuing to stay home.
Many businesses along Stock Road, which separates Marcus Garvey from Lower Crossroads, remained closed due to fears of gang attacks.
Matshaya explained that gangs collect protection fees from businesses and private households on the first Monday of each month. He mentioned that the Marcus Garvey gang is now preventing the Lower Crossroads syndicate from collecting money in Marcus Garvey, with both gangs claiming the area as their territory.
Extortion by gangs is widespread in various Cape Town townships, particularly in Philippi and Nyanga.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut confirmed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is aware of the potential for violence and is investigating the origins and circumstances of these threats. Traut stated that additional operational forces have been deployed in Philippi East to ensure community safety and prevent gang-related violence.
Traut emphasized that extortion is a top crime priority in the province, saying, “Every endeavour is made to combat and root out the phenomenon.” He noted that an extortion task team has been established and their investigations have led to successful prosecutions.
Despite the police presence, teachers expressed concern for their safety and that of their students. One teacher, speaking anonymously due to lack of authority to speak to the press, said that it was decided over the weekend that learners should stay home until the situation stabilizes. The few students who did arrive on Monday were sent home for their safety.
Parent Sesethu Njokwana shared that she is keeping her two children at home until it is safe to return to school, lamenting the unsafe environment her children are growing up in.
A salon owner on Stock Road stated that he will keep his business closed until it is safe to reopen. “We are caught in the middle because this month these guys come and take the money and the next month it is others who come. It is just not safe anymore,” he said.
Teachers echoed these safety concerns, with one teacher noting, “For safety reasons parents choose not to send their children to school, as they were advised by community leaders.”
Hammond confirmed that the WCED has engaged with local SAPS and requested police patrols around schools during dismissal times. “The increase and threats of violence within the community is concerning and will continue to engage with law enforcement,” she said.
“We will not have our learners’ basic rights inhibited. Every school day is important to us. So yes, disruptions like this within a school community is a loss of teaching and learning time,” Hammond added, highlighting the physical and mental toll on both learners and teachers, which could be traumatic.
