Concern over communities’ seeming inaction in curbing extortion

Safety and Security Professor at Tshwane University of Technology, Jacob Mofokeng, has expressed frustration over the growing trend of ‘township enterprise extortion economy.’

He says this phenomenon makes one question whether community policing forums and other members of the public are actually playing their role in curbing crime as it’s not just the police’s during to ensure law and order.

Professor Mofokeng spoke to YNews following the recent brutal murders of Tinyiko (4) and Mpfumo (7) Mashaba.

The siblings were shot dead and burnt in their home in Soshanguve by a man who allegedly entered their shack looking for their father.

It is believed the killer had a bone to pick with the children’s father, Louis Mashaba, who had recently left a crime-fighting forum in the area that had been hijacked by other community members who were accused of allegedly extorting money from residents and shop owners.

Police have placed a R100 000 bounty on the suspect in the children’s killing, who is also wanted for the deaths of two other people who were shot dead at a tavern, not far from the children’s home – on the same day of their murder.

Police spokesperson, Mavela Masondo, says they are looking for Mozambican national, Dennis Nyatsunga/Ngobeni, known as Shumba.

Shumba is also facing charges of attempted murder and arson.

He is believed to be using a fraudulent passport and asylum seeker papers.

The suspect is said to be short and dark in complexion.

Meanwhile his alleged accomplice, a 35-year-old Zimbabwean national appeared in court last week and his matter was postponed to tomorrow.

He was charged with murder and attempted murder relating to the shooting of six people at the tavern where two people died.

The NPA, however, say the Zimbabwean national is not linked to the murder of the two children.

Prof Mofokeng says a recent report by Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime highlighted four main extortion economies operating in South Africa, specifically in Cape Town.

In the report titled ‘The Shadow Economy: Uncovering Cape Town’s Extortion Networks‘, it revealed that, through gangs, certain parts of Cape Town have become the epicentre of extortion.

He says Soshanguve, Mpumalanga and Gqeberha are some of the areas where this trend is also becoming popular.

He says corruption and allegations of law enforcement agencies being infiltrated by criminals have led to trust deficiency between South Africans and the police.

Professor Mofokeng says, as a result, communities have become soft targets for this practice.

Foreign nationals have also become targets for extortionist.

According to the security expert, these types of gangs also target roadsides meat sellers, barbershops, taverns and spaza shops.

He says others have argued that the country’s questionable boarder security, the prevalence of unlicensed guns on the streets and the delay in response by police, have worsened this type of crime.

However, he hopes that a new Minister of Police will look into this type of crime.

According to the Organised Crime Index, South Africa climbed 12 spots up the criminality index, from 19th in 2021 to seventh place in 2023.

Prof Mofokeng, however, despite the bleak picture, communities must continue to work together and report crime.

 

He also called on SAPS top brass to ensure that officers accused of working with criminals are prosecuted, instead of being moved from one area to another.