Extortion gangs ‘on the rise’ in Cape Town

While some patterns may lean towards specific groupings in relation to some crime categories, there is no conclusive evidence suggesting that foreign nationals are heavily involved in extortion

NOVELA POTELWA

Police spokesperson

EXTORTION gangs in Cape Town are allegedly expanding and foreign nationals are also engaging in this type of crime.

Last week members attached to the Extortion Team arrested two foreigners for extortion and recovered R3 500.

The team received information that two men were demanding a protection fee from a foreign businesswoman, who owned a shop in Grabouw and two others in Strand police precincts respectively.

The suspects were demanding a monthly payment of R7 000. Both suspects live in Bellville.

An operation was conducted resulting in the arrest of the suspects, aged 34 and 38.

They appeared in the Grabouw Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

The police and the City of Cape Town have had to launch hotlines for the public to report extortion.

The police sources said the extortion among foreign nationals was not something uncommon but it was not major.

“There were cases in Bellville where many foreign nationals have businesses,” said the officer.

“It is a small pool of foreign nationals and has not grown that much compared to the local guys that have operations from Khayelitsha to some Overberg towns.”

The Weekend Argus has established that foreign nationals involved in extortion target other foreign nationals while locals target almost every business including foreign-owned.

Cape Town has been battling extortion gangs which have shot a number of business people and gangsters.

It is now well known that for a business to be not targeted for robberies, the owner has to pay a certain fee every month.

Government projects and other businesses like long-distance bus company InterCape have not been spared.

Recently, Eskom had to withdraw services from Harare, Khayelitsha, after workers were told to pay R20 000 to continue working in the area.

This left residents in the dark. Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said SAPS analysis indicates crime, including extortion, knows no race, nationality, gender or age. “However while some patterns may lean towards specific groupings in relation to some crime categories, there is no conclusive evidence suggesting that foreign nationals are heavily involved in extortion.”

“In relation to extortion cases, the SAPS has over time arrested scores of suspects, some from South Africa while others are of foreign origin.

“A case in point is the recent arrest and court appearance of two Ethiopians for extorting money from a Somali businesswoman.

“You would also recall that a significant number of local suspects are in custody for extortion-related offences.

She added that implying that only foreign nationals were heavily involved in the crime of extortion would be misleading.

“It is also worth noting that when SAPS detectives embark on investigations, they do not target specific nationalities but pursue leads irrespective of where the suspects come from.

“Lastly, while some foreign nationals are involved in the crime of extortion, it would be without basis to pronounce that foreign gangs are involved in extortion.”