- The father started selling oxtail liver for R10 and chicken feet for R150 after he struggled to find a job.
- Extortionists pretended to be customers before demanding R500 and threatening to monitor his business closely if he did not pay.
A 48-year-old father in Cape Town struggled to find work. His wife works as a domestic worker two days per week. The money was not enough to support the family.
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He decided to sell oxtail liver and chicken feet at a mall. "My job as a man is to take care of my family. I could not let my wife do it alone," he said.
He sells the liver for R10 and chicken feet for R150. Some people judged him and said he should keep looking for a job instead of selling at the mall.
The business has helped him support his family. They use his wife's money to pay for insurance. He gets many customers. Some buy and eat while going into the mall to do their groceries.
He was concerned about extortionists but did not believe they would visit him. Then they came. They pretended to be customers first. They bought liver and asked why he decided to sell chicken feet and liver.
He told them he did not have money. The money he used to buy his first stock came from his wife. They asked what his wife does.
Then they told him they wanted him to pay R500. He said he makes enough money for food and would not be able to pay them.
They told him they would monitor his business. If they notice he is doing well, he would have to pay or stop selling.
"The money I make will never be enough to give to them. It is only enough to buy food for my family," he said.
He arrives at the mall around 09:00. He goes home after his stock is finished.
