Philippi’s little learners caught in the crossfire as gangs squeeze ECD centres with ‘protection fees’
Eleven early childhood development (ECD) centres in Philippi are on the brink of closure as criminal groups intensify extortion schemes, demanding thousands of rand for so‑called “protection” and terrorising staff in the process. The closures threaten children’s safety, learning, and daily meals, and are placing pressure on the few centres that remain open.
This is according to the South African Education Project (SAEP), a long‑standing supporter of ECD centres in Cape Town’s townships. The organisation says gangs have moved in with a deliberate strategy: call meetings with principals, spell out payment structures, lay down rules, and make expectations clear. Those who resist face harassment and theft, and some have shut their doors.
Makhosazana Padi, ECD Coordinator at SAEP, described how brazen the approach has become. “They approached centres and made it clear what they expect and how much must be paid..
“Some principals felt they had no choice but to comply, while others refused or avoided these meetings entirely.”
The amounts demanded vary widely, from R5 000 to R10 000, depending on what criminals believe a centre can afford. Padi said the targeting is calculated. “These figures were calculated based on the size of the centre, the number of children enrolled, and even the appearance of the facility. It shows that these demands are deliberate and targeted.”
Even before some centres began closing, daily operations had been disrupted. According to SAEP, criminals have walked into centres during the day to rob teachers of phones, bags and cash. At night, break‑ins have stripped classrooms of books, toys, and teaching materials, making it almost impossible to run lessons the next morning.
Padi explained the new routine many principals have had to adopt. “Principals have had to start storing learning materials at their homes because if they leave them at the centres, they are stolen overnight.
“Staff are facing serious risks, including robbery, unsafe working conditions and even the possibility of children being exposed to violence such as shootings. Some practitioners have already left their jobs because they no longer feel safe.”
The fallout is immediate and severe. With fewer centres operating, the ones still open are overcrowded and short of staff. Many young children who relied on these centres for safety, stimulation and a warm meal now have nowhere to go. Parents working long hours face impossible choices about childcare, while children lose out on the routines and early learning that set them up for school.
SAEP has tried to keep support going where it can, offering training and guidance even as many partner centres remain shut. But the organisation says community safety is now the deciding factor. Padi stressed that urgent, coordinated action is needed to get doors open again and to reassure staff and families. She said: “What is required is strong, visible law enforcement, community safety partnerships, and government intervention.” Without that, these vital spaces for children cannot function.
Philippi is no stranger to violent crime and extortion. In recent years, protection rackets have spread across parts of Cape Town, hitting small businesses, construction projects, public transport operators and even schools. ECD centres are soft targets: they hold little cash, depend on school fees and subsidies, and operate in buildings that are easy to break into. They also hold something far more valuable to the community — trust — which is eroded each time criminals force a closure.
Authorities have acknowledged that extortion is an entrenched problem in several Cape Flats neighbourhoods, including Philippi, Nyanga, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha. Police have formed specialist teams to pursue extortion cases, while the City has urged residents to report demands for protection money and has coordinated safety operations with neighbourhood structures. Community groups say responses work best when arrests are paired with visible patrols, quicker response times, and practical help like fixing broken streetlights and clearing access routes so that police and emergency services can reach scenes quickly.
Parents and ECD practitioners point to the hidden costs of closures. Children lose access to play‑based learning and early literacy activities. Teachers, many of whom are women supporting households, lose income and may leave the sector. Nutrition programmes are disrupted, even as food prices rise. For families already living on the edge, replacing childcare with private minders or staying home from work is not realistic. The longer centres remain shut, the harder it is to bring children back into routine and to retain qualified staff.
Safety experts recommend basic measures that can make a difference while broader policing continues: secure storage for equipment, solid perimeter fencing, panic buttons linked to local patrols, and clear check‑in procedures for visitors. But ECD centres cannot shoulder the costs alone. Most operate on thin budgets, with fees set low to match what parents can afford, and with state subsidies that arrive irregularly or are tied to strict compliance rules. When criminals add a “protection fee” on top, the numbers simply do not work.
Community leaders in Philippi say it is vital to bring ECD centres into any local safety plan. That means mapping risk hotspots near schools, staggering opening and closing times so staff are not leaving in the dark, and creating fast channels between centres, neighbourhood watches and law enforcement. It also means ensuring that when centres report extortion, there is follow‑through — from case dockets to court — so that practitioners are not left exposed after speaking up.
For now, SAEP is focused on keeping skills sharp and morale intact, so centres can reopen quickly when conditions improve. The message from the ground is clear: without firm action against extortion, the youngest children pay the highest price. The choice for authorities and communities is not between policing and social support — it is both. Visible law enforcement around ECD centres, strong partnerships with residents, and targeted government help can create the breathing room needed for teachers to teach, and for children to learn and play in peace.
As Padi noted, the situation is urgent. Eleven centres standing idle is not only a statistic; it is hundreds of children missing out on safety, care and a daily meal. Reopening these doors — and keeping them open — will be the real measure of success against the extortion economy that has crept into the heart of early childhood education.
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