Police management said extortion has spread across multiple sectors and provinces, with Gauteng, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape identified as hotspots. Gauteng recorded the highest number of cases, with 2,284 reported incidents, followed by the Western Cape with 1,476 cases.
To counteract extortion, Masemola said the police have set up toll-free reporting lines in two provinces, with plans to launch a national hotline. These efforts have already led to some arrests.
However, committee members questioned whether the toll-free lines would yield results, given that similar systems had always existed.
The presentation noted the emergence of criminal syndicates across various sectors, including construction, transportation and small businesses. Major mining companies such as Anglo American and Glencore have faced demands for lucrative procurement contracts.
“In the transportation sector, taxi associations extort scholar transport operators, demanding a share of earnings. Municipalities are also affected, with syndicates storming boardrooms during tender meetings to intimidate officials into awarding contracts,” the presentation read.
Following the presentation, key concerns were raised by the portfolio committee members.
They stressed the need for proper consequence management within the police force, stating: “We need to make sure that the soldiers fighting the war are fighting for the right reasons.”
Committee members also questioned whether the police were losing the battle against the construction mafia, asking why it seemed they only recognised the problem after it had grown.
The police officials present urged for the benefit of the doubt. Masemola said they are doing as much as they can with the resources available.
“We currently have approximately 153,000 police personnel, which serves as our primary resource for combating crime. Unfortunately, we receive no external assistance. To address infrastructure destruction and extortion, we established economic infrastructure task teams several years ago.
“Regrettably, honourable chairperson and members, our capacity is limited, and sometimes we’re forced to stretch our existing resources. This constraint means we lack additional support. Essentially, we’re left to manage with our current capacity, and it’s a challenge,” said Masemola.
The report highlighted recent arrests from July of this year. There were arrests made in the North West province targeting individuals attempting to extort companies like Liquid Telecoms.
In KwaZulu-Natal, police cracked down on syndicates disrupting infrastructure projects in areas like Umsunduzi and Inanda.
In Mpumalanga, a criminal group known as “Kwagga 20” was apprehended following violent crimes, including murder and extortion.
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Koena Mashale
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