The City of Cape Town has given the nod to a company managing street parking in the CBD and other areas to prevent parking attendants that went on trike returning to work. The Red Ants a security company hired by Street Parking  Solutions has gained reputation in a no nonsense approach to moving illegal home dwellings from private land, the City of Cape Town did not interfere or object the presence of the Red Ants.

In the article below Quinton Mtyala reports on the action taking place by the company Street Parking Solutions and how the Red Ants security presence has been accepted by the City of Cape Town officials. Use the navigation link to view articles on the City of Cape Town on CBN's website, as well as business related articles.   


We Did Not Object to Red Ants Being Used
Author: Quinton Mtyala

The City of Cape Town says it was aware that Street Parking Solutions (SPS), which manages kerbside parking in the city centre, would call in the notorious Red Ants to rein in parking marshals fired for going on strike.

The owner of SPS, Zunade Loghdey claimed that parking marshals, most of them Congolese refugees, who had returned to work this week were being intimidated by those who had been fired.

City spokesperson Kylie Hatton said Loghdey had told city officials that he would be calling in the Red Ants security guards, a service that has gained notoriety in Johannesburg for breaking down illegal shacks and using force in evicting people from "hijacked" buildings.

The city did not object to Loghdey's proposal to use the guards.

Hatton said the city had met Loghdey on a "daily basis" during the strike to provide assistance "where necessary".

"Police and the city's law enforcement officers have provided additional security in the city centre," said Hatton.

The city's response came a day after members of the public had to intervene to stop the Red Ants as they were punching and kicking a former SPS manager in Burg Street.

Street Parking Solutions took over the kerbside parking management contract on July 1 from NumQue20, which it had challenged in court for the contract, eventually gaining a court decision in its favour.

But no sooner had SPS begun work in the city centre than it was faced with a strike by employees, who complained about employment conditions.

Hatton said the city had not considered ending SPS's contract in the light of the company's trouble with its workers.

The city says it was SPS that insisted on using some of NumQue20's former employees, most of whom have been accused of being "troublemakers".

"Loghdey indicated that using experienced marshals would be an advantage to his business as they already knew the parking operation," said Hatton.

She said the strike by former parking marshals had affected bay rotation as many drivers ignored time restrictions and parked for the whole day.