Note to Editors: Please see attached soundbite from Ian Cameron MP
The Democratic Alliance has today presented a comprehensive plan to combat a fast-increasing wave of extortion taking hold across South Africa. The DA will now send this plan to the Police Minister to engage him on this critical intervention.
It is high time that the South African Police Service places a specific focus on extortion, with the necessary urgency that this growing criminal trend demands.
The DA will not accept that today businesses, small and large, local vendors and traders, construction projects, restaurants, medical practices, stores, and service providers are now increasingly being forced at gunpoint to pay a "pirate tax" just to operate.
Extortion crimes impact every facet of our society and our economy.
By enforcing these illegal higher business costs, extortionists are not just committing robbery, but they are directly causing slowed economic growth, decreased investment, and reduced tax revenues. They are stealing from business, but they are also stealing from the nation.
This week, South Africa heard from Deputy Minister of Finance, Ashor Sarupen, that more than 180 construction projects worth R63 billion have been stalled by extortionists in the past five years.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), between April 2019 and March 2024, over 6,000 extortion cases were reported across the country, but only 178 convictions followed this. This translates to a mere 7% of people arrested for extortion being convicted in the last five years. These statistics speak to our criminal justice system being without the tools to stem violent crimes and highlights the urgent need for new interventions.
While we welcome measures SAPS has implemented like an anti-extortion hotline, much more must be done comprehensively to support our criminal justice system. We look forward to working with the Police Ministry to achieve this.
DA's proposed interventions which we will now take up with the Police Minster are the following:
Centralised Intelligence Gathering and Analysis
We propose creating a specialised hub to collect, analyse, and disseminate intelligence on extortion activities across the country. A unified intelligence network will enhance SAPS' ability to anticipate threats, recognise patterns, and deploy resources where they are most needed.
Enhanced Community Reporting and Support Mechanisms
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Through fostering strong partnerships with communities and businesses, we can bolster intelligence gathering, increase reporting, and support victims when crimes occur. Stronger ties with communities and law enforcement will gain invaluable intelligence and encourage greater public participation in combating extortion.
Targeted Operations and Disruption of Syndicates
We have always supported using intelligence-led policing to identify, disrupt, and dismantle extortion syndicates at their roots. By using intelligence-based operations, law enforcement can focus on high-value targets, significantly reduce extortion activities and dismantle criminal networks.
Proactive Prevention and Early Intervention
We must focus on preventing extortion before it occurs through public education, predictive policing, legislative reforms and early intervention. These measures will empower communities to protect themselves and report extortion, creating an environment that prevents the establishment of criminal syndicates.
Improved Prosecution and Legal Frameworks
Ensuring efficient prosecution and effective collaboration between SAPS, NPA and Crime Intelligence, as well as strengthening legal measures to deter and punish extortionists will create strong deterrence effects against extortion and strengthen public trust in the criminal justice system.
We believe that through these measures, we can empower communities, dismantle criminal syndicates, bolster crime intelligence strategies and restore public confidence in law enforcement.
The DA continues to defend the rights of all to live freely, safely, without fear, and with the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
