14 extortionists were shot and killed in the past two weeks – Masemola

Police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola on Thursday morning revealed that 14 alleged extortionists have been gunned down in shoot-outs with police across the country in just two weeks.

Masemola briefed on operations conducted by police in August, saying 85,000 suspects were arrested for various crimes, including murder, rape, kidnapping and extortion.

Cases of extortion across the country have led to some businesses shutting down and the loss of innocent lives.

“Just in these past two weeks, 14 extortionists were shot and killed during confrontations with police in various provinces. The most brazen of these alleged extortionists were in the Eastern Cape province in the town of Mthatha where three followed and tailed our National Intervention Unit members to their base,” said Masemola.

“Our members had been conducting stop and searches in Mthatha during tracing operations and had earlier confiscated firearms from these alleged extortionists. These extortionists indeed got what they were looking for, they shot at our police officers – who were ready to defend and assert the authority of the state. Three of these extortionists are being buried this weekend. Six others were also shot and killed in a confrontation with KwaZulu-Natal cops.

“We have developed an extortion action plan and thus far, we are pleased with how this plan is being implemented throughout the country. As management, we are particularly encouraged with how our police officers are addressing the crime of extortion across all provinces that have been identified as hotspots. We are following up on tip-offs and information shared through our hotlines and crime stop numbers. We are fetching each of these extortionists, one by one,” said Masemola.

Masemola said in Gauteng, an Emfuleni local municipality employee and a branch party leader have been arrested.

The pair and others are accused of extorting money from a contractor who has been installing fibre infrastructure network in Sharpeville, in the Vaal.

On Monday, three suspects were arrested in the Johannesburg CBD in a joint operation between Gauteng organised crime and JMPD.

“The three are accused of causing work to stop at a construction site because they are demanding money from the contractors.”

In Cape Town, Western Cape, one alleged extortionist was arrested for the murder of a four-year-old girl in Joe Slovo informal settlement in Milnerton.

“The little girl was shot at the time when her killer and his friends were demanding protection fee money from a local spaza shop owner. The little girl was unfortunately hit by a stray bullet and died from a gunshot wound,” he said.

“Criminal groupings involved in some of these cases have been identified and our intelligence and detectives are on the ground, piecing together information to ensure perpetrators are brought to book.

“We are following up on tip-offs and information shared through our hotlines and crime stop numbers. We are fetching each of these extortionists, one by one,” he said.

He said from April 1 2023 to August 31 2024, 319 cases of extortion have been reported.

He said the Western Cape registered the highest cases with 119, followed by the Eastern Cape with 82 and KwaZulu-Natal with 63 and Gauteng with 31 cases.

The number of arrests that are linked to these cases is 151 – 69 in the Western Cape, 24 in the Eastern Cape and 23 in Gauteng and 20 in KZN.

Masemola said he was concerned that seven police officers and a civilian were arrested by the Hawks for their involvement in extortion-related crimes in Durban.

The group is accused of soliciting about R100,000 from a business owner after confiscating cigarettes from his business premises and demanding that he pay them to make the case disappear.

The seven have already appeared in court on a charge of extortion, corruption and defeating the administration of justice.

“It is, however, disappointing but at the same time pleasing to have our own arrested. This indeed provides the organisation with the opportunity to continuously rid itself of criminal elements.”

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