South Africa's business sector faces severe threats from business mafias, with extortion impacting multiple industries and provinces.
The groups, which began by extorting the construction sector in KwaZulu-Natal, have now expanded their operations across multiple industries and provinces such as the Eastern Cape, where local business have closed down due to extortion, according to crime experts.Khulekani Mathe, Busa’s CEO designate, said there was a distressing case in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, involving an ophthalmologist who was compelled to shut down his practice due to continuous demands for extortion.
“For any organised crime syndicate to succeed, they need protection from senior state actors, whether in politics or within the police force,” Els said. Saps said the teams will support existing provincial efforts to dismantle gangs involved in extorting protection fees from businesses. In relation to sporadic incidents of violence and extortion at construction sites and business across the country, Masemola said 722 extortionists have been arrested in the past five years.
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