Extortionists in SA now target disabled and elderly for their grant money

In a concerning trend of extortion, criminals are now preying on the disabled and elderly for their grant money in a growing trend of exploitation, the Portfolio Committee on Police was informed on Wednesday.

The committee received an update on extortion activities across South Africa and the intervention plans to strengthen detective services.

According to committee chair Ian Cameron, extortionists take advantage of the festive season due to the surge in economic activities.

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They target large and small, retail, hospitality and construction sector as they experience an increase in cashflow.

The extortionists also thrive during the festive season due to a reduction in law enforcement officers as some take leave or are reassigned to monitor tourist hotspots.

“This creates a temporary gap in security coverage which criminals may exploit,” said Cameron.

During this time, businesses are also more inclined to comply with extortion demands in an effort to avoid disruptions to their operations.

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Between July and September 2024, there were 180 cases where ransom was demanded. About 29 were extortion-related, while 13 were human trafficking-related.

Extortion in construction industry

Lieutenant-General Khosi Senthumule said the construction industry was the hardest hit by extortion, adding police would use maximum resources to protect the industry.

“The construction industry is one of the most significant sectors for economic growth and employment,” said Senthumule.

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“We need to protect this sector with all we have. Unfortunately, this sector continues to face threats from organised crime criminals who have dubbed themselves as construction mafia or extortionists. They use extortion, violence and intimidation to exploit both small and large business-scale projects.

“These criminals have dubbed themselves as local business forums are targeting various sectors including the construction, mining, foreign-owned businesses, transport sector and households. They demand money or stakes in projects, protection fees.”

Heavily armed individuals will invade construction sites, demand employment, demand tenders and protection fees with the threat of stopping projects.

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“In Limpopo, we have seen murder and attempted murder taking place as a result of extortion activities. They barricade roads and force shutdowns of construction sites,” said Senthumule.

But they do not stop there.

“Vulnerable communities such as the disabled, blind and pensioners have had their social grants being extorted by criminals,” she said.

Extortion hotline number

In August, Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene launched the extortion hotline number in Mthatha.

The Eastern Cape is the province hardest hit by extortion, where businesses and government institutions are told to pay protection fees or face severe consequences, including death or business closure.

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Two weeks after its launch, 1 180 calls were received from community members. However, 688 of these were prank calls, and 431 were from people merely verifying the hotline.

The total number of extortion-related cases reported through the hotline was only 38.

Senthumule said the South African Police Service (Saps) is working on integrating the provincial hotlines to speed up response times, coordination and data management. This will allow for better tracking of cases and more targeted enforcement actions.

The single hotline will be operational 24/7 and will not be outsourced but manned by dedicated Saps officials who will be trained to handle various cases.

The Saps communications department is also working on enhancing public awareness campaigns on prank calls.

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“We are working on strengthening provincial extortion teams so that we can address all reported crimes and investigations and ensure that there is a mechanism for whistleblower protection. We are also working with the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] on centralising all the dockets on extortion that are lying everywhere in the country,” said Senthumule.