Extortion rackets force closure of schools in Mthatha, committee demands police action

Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and Creative Industries, Makhi Feni on Wednesday called on law enforcement authorities to halt the criminals imposing the “protection fee” in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.

The criminal extortion syndicates that initially targeted business owners and individuals have now expanded their operations to schools and healthcare facilities.

Five schools in Mthatha, in the OR Tambo District, have closed down as a result of the extortion.

“It has been confirmed that Sinolwazi Senior Secondary School, Bambanani Junior Secondary School, Mokolweni Junior Secondary School and Laphumikhwezi Junior Secondary School have been all affected by thugs operating in the area who demand money,” said Feni.

It is understood that some schools and school teachers renting properties in Mthatha were also forced to pay between R500 and R1 000 a month for protection.

Feni shared that teachers from the five schools have been threatened and, in one instance, assaulted. This has resulted in them avoiding reporting for duty.

Call for instant intervention

Feni condemned this inexcusable behaviour and called for the authorities to intervene immediately.

“This is one area where law enforcement cannot be sluggish or tardy. Surely these thugs are known people. The police should assist before we have a situation of having police and security permanently stationed at schools; that will not be conducive for learning and we do not wish it to happen,” he said.

He shared worry that should the protection rackets go on with their criminal activities, more people would suffer.

“Soon this will extend to clinics, hospitals and homes if no decisive action is taken.”

Operation to clamp down on extortion racks underway

Police minister Senzo Mchunu on Wednesday said they had a plan of action to combat the takeover in Mthatha.

“We have started laying ground plans to deal with this and collecting as much information as possible on names of the people who are in this at any level. There are those who are identified as kingpins and there are those identified as runners,” he told 702.

He said police involvement in the extortion syndicates is suspected.

Mchunu added that these extortion rackets were not only confined to the Eastern Cape, but they have also emerged in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and other areas.

However, he promised to “sort it out” in the coming weeks.

“This has grown to such an extent that we hear women in villages have to either post R50 on their window or they get raped if they don’t do that. So it has gone wild,” Mchunu said.