Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on Tuesday addressed parliament on the scourge of extortion in the country, outlining SAPS’ plans to fight the skelms who have been crippling businesses and delayed government projects.
Mchunu said four provinces currently carry the majority of the crime rate.
“The four provinces - Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape - currently carry 73% of crime levels in South Africa, the gravity of these crimes alone including extortion, is of serious concern to us over and above their concentration,” he said.
Mchunu said the modus operandi of the perpetrators involved in these heinous crimes is well-known.
“Most of them are individuals who do not want to work but rather choose to parade as armies of murderous parasites that must be fought and rejected by society as a whole.
“They are often heavily armed, operating in groups that instil fear and chaos. The relative “silence” of communities and low reporting is all due to these fears.”
He said among recent operations where extortion suspects were identified through intelligence, was in Milnerton where four suspects were killed in a shootout with police.
He said people who have received pay-outs from the Road Accident Fund were also being targeted.
In light of this, SAPS will be signing cooperative agreements with Provincial and Local Governments, seeking to integrate resources.
“Currently the operational plan is being rolled out in Cape Town with its new 6 sub-districts. The model will be replicated in all Metros in the country. The operational plan will include CPFs and private security companies.”
As the Police Minister delivered this address, Sanitech has reduced its services in Kosovo informal settlement due to threats by the extortion mafia demanding a ‘protection fee’ from the service provider.
A company spokesperson said instead of cleaning the toilets four times a week, this has been reduced to once a week, with workers accompanied by security guards.
The Democratic Alliance revealed on Tuesday that extortionists have targeted six Western Cape Government construction sites worth nearly R4 billion, delaying projects by as much as 3 years. These are mostly housing and schooling projects.
Daily Voice