Extortion continuously migrating & increasing, SAPS tells MPs
SAPS said on Wednesday that while extortion in the construction sector is not a new phenomenon, the rise in the number of incidents is concerning.
The police’s Divisional Commissioner of Detective and Forensic Services, Lieutenant General HK Senthumule, addressed Parliament’s police committee.
The briefing came after Police Minister Senzo Mchunu recently announced new measures to tackle extortion syndicates.
The so-called construction mafia has been targeting infrastructure developments, business entities and construction sites countrywide by extorting money from contractors.
The construction industry is one of the sectors meant to be a significant driver of economic growth, development and employment.
“We acknowledge that it is not a new phenomenon,” Senthumule told MPs.
“However, it is continuously migrating and increasing. The construction sites, which range from small businesses to large scale projects, serve as prime targets for these organised crime syndicates and their tactics include extortion, using violence and intimidation and disruption to advance their objectives.”
Senthumule says acts of extortion are most prevalent in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape.
“In KwaZulu-Natal, we have identified 18 business forums; in the Western Cape, we have identified ten syndicates; in the Eastern Cape, we have identified five business forums. In Gauteng, there are three that include Boko Haram; in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West, they have one each.
“This negatively affects the economy and infrastructure development, including investor confidence which is so much required in the country because of the dwindling economy. This further undermines service delivery and economic development through delays and threats of violence to protest.”
Senthumule said the police committee, which has been set up to deal with the issue, meets monthly.
“Within the NATJOINTS, we have got a priority committee which focuses on extortions. It’s called the National Core Command Group, and the same structure is rolled out to provinces and chaired by provincial heads of organised crime, and the business sector also participates in these structures.”
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