He said operations were also underway in the Eastern Cape focusing on Mthatha and Nelson Mandela Bay targeting similar crimes, including illegal occupation of buildings and stock theft.
In addition, Mchunu said, three weeks ago three people had been arrested in Bronkospruit, Gauteng and three more in Mpumalanga for activities related to extortion.
“Generally, there is more extortion going on than meets the eye. This requires more crime intelligence operations,” he said.
“We have initiated the signing of cooperative agreements with provincial and local governments with operational plans seeking to integrate our resources against crime. Currently, the operational plan is being rolled out in Cape Town with its new six sub-districts.
“The model will be replicated in all metros in the country. The operational plan will include CPFs (community policing forums) and private security companies.”
EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said there was no comprehensive crime prevention strategy and “until that happens you are always going to run after the fact”.
“You are going to work with provinces and signing agreements; that has been done before. You are going to work with CPS and security companies; that has been done before,” he said.
“There is nothing that has come out today as to what are you planning to do with the people who are extracting 30% and rendering the state dysfunctional at a local level.”
DA MP Ian Cameron said extortion had reached a point of crisis.
“Extortion acts as an additional illegal tax on an already strained economy, draining businesses of much-needed funds,” he said.
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Mchunu declares war on extortionists
Minister tells Parliament pensioners targeted
Minister of police Senzo Mchunu says they have been seeing “shocking incidents of lowest morality”, where church services, funerals and other family-related functions are being disrupted by extortionists.
In provinces such as the Free State, extortionists targeted pensioners and those who received payments from the Road Accident Fund.
This is what Mchunu told Parliament on Tuesday.
He said extortion had been emerging over time and had now reached levels where communities “have become very angry, bitter and agitated, the pain has gone very deep”.
“Most of them (extortionists) are individuals who do not want to work but rather choose to parade as armies of murderous parasites that must be fought and rejected by society as a whole.
”They are often heavily armed, operating in groups that instil fear and chaos. The relative ‘silence’ of communities and low reporting is all due to these fears.”
He said in a recent operation, extortionists were confronted in Milnerton in Cape Town where four people were killed in a shootout with police and another four admitted to hospital, Mchunu said.
He said operations were also underway in the Eastern Cape focusing on Mthatha and Nelson Mandela Bay targeting similar crimes, including illegal occupation of buildings and stock theft.
In addition, Mchunu said, three weeks ago three people had been arrested in Bronkospruit, Gauteng and three more in Mpumalanga for activities related to extortion.
“Generally, there is more extortion going on than meets the eye. This requires more crime intelligence operations,” he said.
“We have initiated the signing of cooperative agreements with provincial and local governments with operational plans seeking to integrate our resources against crime. Currently, the operational plan is being rolled out in Cape Town with its new six sub-districts.
“The model will be replicated in all metros in the country. The operational plan will include CPFs (community policing forums) and private security companies.”
EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said there was no comprehensive crime prevention strategy and “until that happens you are always going to run after the fact”.
“You are going to work with provinces and signing agreements; that has been done before. You are going to work with CPS and security companies; that has been done before,” he said.
“There is nothing that has come out today as to what are you planning to do with the people who are extracting 30% and rendering the state dysfunctional at a local level.”
DA MP Ian Cameron said extortion had reached a point of crisis.
“Extortion acts as an additional illegal tax on an already strained economy, draining businesses of much-needed funds,” he said.
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