South Africa ‘torn apart’ by extortionists, MPs say during debate – The Mail & Guardian

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said parts of the country were experiencing a “surge in extortion and other related crimes”, with Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Eastern Cape accounting for 73% of all reported crimes. (Photo by Brenton Geach/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

South Africa must declare war on the construction and extortion mafia that violently takes civilians and businessmen hostage and demands money from them in exchange for contracts and personal protection.

This was the unequivocal agreement between all political parties during a parliamentary debate on the construction mafia and widespread extortion, after Police Minister Senzo Mchunu outlined the South African Police Services (SAPS) action plan to tackle the criminals.

Mchunu said parts of the country are experiencing a “surge in extortion and other related crimes”, with Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Eastern Cape accounting for 73% of all reported crimes.

“Extortion has developed over time and has now reached levels where all communities in our country, outside the four provinces, have become very angry, bitter and agitated,” Mchunu said.

“The pain has gone very deep. The sentiment expressed in communities across the country also reflects the statements made unanimously in the House in the recent past against these crimes. The current socio-economic conditions are working against low crime levels in the country and must be urgently addressed by this House and also by the Executive.”

He said the modus operandi of the perpetrators of extortion was well known. “They are often armed, operate in groups and sow fear and chaos. The relative silence of communities and low reporting are often due to these fears.”

Mchunu said police were “working hard” daily to combat these crimes and had recently clashed with extortionists during an operation in Milnerton, Cape Town, following intelligence. Four suspects were killed in the shootout with police and four were injured, while two fled the scene.

He said the Eastern Cape police were focusing on combating extortion in Mthatha and Nelson Mandela Bay, as well as illegal occupation of buildings and cattle theft.

“We are seeing shocking incidents of the lowest morals, where church services, funerals and other family gatherings are being disrupted by these extortionists,” he said.

Police in Mpumalanga had arrested three suspects for extortion. In Gauteng, three people were arrested in Bronkhorstspruit for extortion and police were also aware of cases in Soweto.

“In the Free State, pensioners are being targeted by extortionists… generally there is more extortion going on in the communities than meets the eye. We need to improve intelligence. We need to find information ourselves to profile these criminals because communities are reporting but not enough,” Mchnunu said.

He said his ministry and the SAPS had signed an operational plan with the City of Cape Town to tackle crime, which involved working with community policing forums, the city police and private security companies. This coordination would help in terms of resources.

His department will meet government leaders in Gauteng on Thursday and later this month in KwaZulu-Natal.

“We are also holding a series of meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sister departments on cooperation against crime, in line with the National Integrated Crime Prevention Strategy,” said Mchunu.

MPs urged the minister to take a tough stance against extortion, which they said left citizens fearing for their lives. They also raised concerns that in some cases police were complicit in the extortion, leaving citizens “truly helpless”.

Extortion is a “rapidly escalating threat that affects every level of society… from large corporations to smaller businesses in the townships and even our schools,” said Democratic Alliance MP Ian Cameron.

“It is deeply rooted and it is a problem that threatens economic stability and affects the social fabric of every part of our country. It has become a national crisis,” he added.

Member of Parliament Mbuyiseni Ndlozi of the Economic Freedom Fighters claims that some police officers are collaborating with extortionists and that is why they cannot identify suspects.

“The reason the police claim ignorance is because the police are embedded. It’s because correctional services are embedded,” he said.

Mmusi Maimane, MP for Build One South Africa, said citizens were living in fear and that “when they call the police, sometimes the police don’t show up, and when the police do show up, sometimes they demand bribes themselves”.

“I am here to tell you that we cannot afford to have another conversation. What we must do here today is declare war on crime,” he said.