Police Oversight and Community Safety
Whether his Department has a plan to deal with the increasing criminal activities of extortionists who are terrorising businesses on the Cape Flats; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
The investigation of extortion remains the mandate of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The department does however, co-chair the Anti-gang ProvJoints Committee and partners with SAPS by serving on its bi-weekly Extortion Priority Committee meeting.
Further to the aforementioned the department will continue to:
Chair a bi-weekly LEAP Operational Steercom meeting with the City of Cape Town (CoCT).
Monitor, amongst others, extortion matters which have been struck off the roll across the Province through the department’s Court Watching Brief unit.
Encourage government structures and civilians to report extortion to SAPS; bolstering the Whole Of Society Approach (WOSA) and the Whole Of Government Approach (WOGA). When matters such as these are reported, the more we can engage and encourage SAPS to allocate additional resources so that it can effectively be addressed.
Share complaints received via the department with SAPS.
Promote the new extortion tollfree number: 0800 31 44 44.
Remain committed to fighting various forms of crime and encourage all Safety stakeholders, particularly Neighbourhood Watches (NHWs), Community Police Forms (CPFs) etc. to assist and support SAPS, as the lead agency, to combat this and all other crime. The NHWs and CPFs are a critical cog in addressing this matter.
