Protection racket threat shuts Khayelitsha clinic

The clinic in Town 2, Khayelitsha, was closed for two weeks due to an extortion incident, impacting the health of residents and their pockets. According to Ward 93 councillor, Thando Pimpi, the security guards working the night shift at the clinic on 31 January were approached by thugs who told them that they want the owner of the security company to pay them a protection fee. After that, staff at the clinic said they feared for their lives and the clinic was closed from 2 February.

Speaking to Elitsha on Monday as the clinic re-opened after a two-week closure, patients from Town 2 said that the closure affected them badly as they ran out of chronic medication and had to travel to nearby clinics. “I had to ask neighbours and family members who take the same medication as me to give me some so that I don’t default. I have all the non-communicable diseases and it was important that I take my medication. This clinic is efficient, they stick to appointments and you don’t spend a whole day at the clinic,” said Nolulamile Golwana.

Five-month pregnant Siphesande Jona said she had to travel to another clinic, where she had to endure the administrative process of re-registering. “I had to go to Site B clinic where they had to start the process from scratch. Now, I have to stand in a long queue here,” she said.

Community and police re-open the clinic

According to Lumkile Sizila from Amadoda Aqotho, a meeting between them, the Makhaza Community Policing Forum, the Neighbourhood Watch, the Khayelitsha Health Forum (KHF) and the police decided that the clinic had to be re-opened as community members were badly affected by the closure.

“We felt we need to stand up for the community. We say that the security company and the police should deal with the extortionist but the clinic cannot remain closed indefinitely. These past two weeks have had a devastating effect on this community as some people have defaulted on their chronic medication and some people do not have taxi fare to travel to nearby clinics,” Sizila said.

Councillor Pimpi said that they had two meetings in the last two weeks. One was with the clinic management and the most recent, with community stakeholders and the police. “We can’t allow the clinic to be closed because of thugs. I had to come to explain to people here everyday that the clinic is closed,” he said.

Claims community not consulted

Amadoda Aqotho and the KHF claim that the City of Cape Town as the operator of the health facility, did not consult with the affected communities about the closure. “They did not consult on why the clinic was closed and there was no public participation process. Even the satellite clinic that they opened at the Khayelitsha Fire Station, we got to know about it last week Thursday,” said Mzanywa Ndibongo, the chairperson of the Khayelitsha Health Forum.

Sizila also criticised the City of Cape Town for failing to consult widely in making its decision to close the clinic, and for such a long time. “Civil society and the community were not consulted on the reasons for the closure of the clinic,” he said.

The patients who rely on Town 2 Clinic say the closure cost them their health and money.

The City of Cape Town denies the allegation that the community was not consulted. “The community was consulted at the community imbizo held on Saturday, 14 February 2026, which city health officials attended. City health area management was also part of a community meeting with the ward councillor in the first week of the clinic closure,” said MEC for Community Services and Health, Francine Higham.

The police say they are investigating a case of extortion and intimidation that was opened at the Mitchells Plain and Makhaza police stations.

“According to reports, unknown men removed security officers from the clinic and are demanding a protection fee from the security company. The case docket is being handled by provincial serious and violent crime detectives,” said police spokesperson, Constable Ndakhe Gwala.