Police to combat housing project racketeers

Communities whose housing and railway projects are being held to ransom by gangsters are the ones who are being disadvantaged.

The City of Cape Town has indicated that there has been an increase in criminal activities targeting housing projects meant for the development of communities.

Just last week, Matlhodi Maseko, the DA's spokesperson on human settlements, extended an invitation to the police, the provincial human settlements department, the police oversight and community safety department and the City to address the ongoing pattern of extortion occurring at developments such as housing and construction sites.

They have now opened the conversation after it was revealed that R5 billion had been spent on housing projects in the Western Cape during the past five years, but that several had been halted owing to extortion and even land invasions.

In some instances, live ammunition was fired, and in August gangsters allegedly tried to stop work on Prasa's central line corridor.

“There has been a pattern of criminality targeting human settlements projects with the specific intent of demanding protection money from project managers,” Maseko said.

“The contractor for the Luyolo housing development in Gugulethu recently suspended construction after instances of extortion and intimidation by unidentified individuals.

“During the incident, shots were fired at four security workers at the construction site,” Maseko said.

“I will engage with the police and request that they present to the committee the trends and incidents that have been reported in housing developments in the province over the past five years.

“We cannot stand by and let criminals prevent housing beneficiaries from timeously gaining access to their long-awaited homes.

“It is time for the various stakeholders to engage and implement robust measures to put an end to the criminality at public infrastructure sites.

“I also strongly urge communities to come forward and provide the police and other law enforcement agencies with information on extortionist gangs within their communities.”

Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagan Allen said the issue of extortion was increasing, and he had roped in the SAPS's anti-gang unit to deal with it.

“We have been invited to the Western Cape standing committee on human settlements in the Western Cape provincial parliament in January 2023 to provide insight into the department's strategies for dealing with extortion matters from alleged gang groups in the Western Cape.

“Extortions are an important topic as across the board, as they are seemingly increasing. Although extortions in the Western Cape are largely linked with kidnappings, a picture is emerging that it is spreading into various other sectors.

“Besides attending the weekly extortion committee meetings, we have in the past linked complainants with police's crime intelligence through the provincial commissioner, so that matters can be handled in a confidential manner, as many complainants fear for their safety.”