The City of Cape Town on Thursday said it had obtained a court interdict to prevent protesters from disrupting the MyCiTi bus service in Du Noon and surrounds.

The city was granted the urgent interdict late Wednesday afternoon after it had to shut down some of its buses on the T04 trunk route following the Du Noon MyCiTi station being vandalised by residents who had earlier been prevented from illegally erecting shacks on nearby land.

“Further threats of attacks, and the intimidation of City personnel and contractors, and commuters wanting to make use of the service, prompted the City to apply for relief from the court,” said City mayoral committee member for transport Brett Heron.

“The interdict will be served on 11 named respondents, among them the Govan Mbeki branch of the South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO) and illegal minibus taxi operators in the Joe Slovo area, by the Sheriff of the Court during the course of the day.”

The city said a copy of the court order would also be placed at all entrances to MyCiTi stations along the T04 trunk route.

“The order is interdicting and restraining the respondents from intimidating, threatening, harassing, assaulting or in any way interfering with City employees, contractors, councillors, commuters and law enforcement operations at the following stations: Usasaza, Dunoon, Killarney, Potsdam, Refinery, Montague Gardens, Turf Club, Omuramba, Phoenix, Sanddrift and Century City, as well as the Stables MyCiTi bus depot,” said Herron.

Those named in the interdict are restricted from coming within 300 metres of a any of the identified MyCiTi stations.

The City was still assessing the cost of the damage caused, but Herron said repairs would start next week. IOL