An investigative report has revealed evidence suggesting that Prasa's security chief assisted alleged 28s gang leader Ralph Stanfield in influencing parts of a major Cape Town railway reconstruction project. The allegations tie into broader concerns about gangsterism infiltrating South Africa's public institutions. Prasa has not provided detailed responses to the claims.
The amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism published a report on 8 March 2026, detailing evidence that Prasa's security boss, Alexio Papadopulo, helped alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson capture aspects of the multibillion-rand Central Line reconstruction project in Cape Town. The Central Line serves commuters accessing the city and has required extensive repairs due to vandalism and theft.
Suspicions of Prasa's proximity to Stanfield and Johnson have circulated since at least 2022, coinciding with a Western Cape high court judgment warning of 28s gang penetration into provincial police. This connects to a national law enforcement scandal involving the alleged Big Five drug cartel, which operates under the umbrella of The Firm—a conglomerate Stanfield is accused of heading. The cartel is said to have infiltrated South Africa's criminal justice system, politics, and private security.
The amaBhungane report suggests the involvement could stem from a 'classic extortion tactic' or Papadopulo actively promoting a company linked to Stanfield to address security issues on the railway. Prasa responded by attributing interactions to the challenging environment of high crime and infrastructure theft, stating that engagements with stakeholders were necessary for worker safety and project continuity, without implying impropriety.
Neither Stanfield, Johnson, nor Papadopulo responded to amaBhungane's queries. Prasa shifted blame to Central Line contractors and, when asked by Daily Maverick on 12 March 2026, spokesperson Andiswa Makanda said, 'We don’t have a comment at the moment.' Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis called for suspending implicated officials, urging, 'The state must shut down all potential avenues of funding to gangsterism, and root out corrupt officials working with the underworld.'
Background includes a 2022 video of gunmen firing assault rifles along Cape Town tracks, suspected as a warning from 28s gangsters demanding protection fees from Prasa subcontractors. Stanfield and Johnson, arrested in September 2023 on charges from car theft to murder, remain in custody. Related incidents involve murders of Stanfield associates and ties to the Ayepyep entertainment venue, where disputes led to temporary closure in 2023 amid accusations of domination by the couple.
