Foreign business owners have urged the provincial policing cluster to investigate within their own ranks to curb the rate of extortion towards businesses.
This comes after the Hawks made more arrests of people linked to extortion. Six men, who were arrested last week are due to appear in court on Tuesday at the Dikeni (formerly Alice) magistrate’s court after they were arrested by the Hawks’ serious organised crime unit.
They are alleged to have been demanding “protection money” from foreign owned businesses.
Bandile Lisa, 45, Silumlo Hlanjwa, 33, Mangaliso Mdlankomo, 38, Phumlani Volonqo, 26, Masithembe Emete, 33 and Vumile Sidinile, 30, were arrested for allegedly asking Dikeni business owners R2,000 each for protection fees.
According to the Hawks spokesperson WO Bandile Mhlakuvana, a foreign national went to the town’s community service centre to report suspects that had arrived at their shop asking about the whereabouts of the shop owner, from whom the suspects came to collect cash as part of extortion.
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Mhlakuvana said the complainant further indicated that the suspects were driving two Volkswagen Polo vehicles and he also gave the description of the suspects.
“Shift members swiftly responded to the complaint and followed the information which led to where members spotted the said vehicles at McNab Street.
“The team stopped the vehicles and the suspects reportedly started fleeing to evade arrest. During the chase, the team apprehend six suspects and two others escaped.
“Upon searching, the police recovered three 9mm pistols with their serial numbers filed off and live rounds of ammunition,” Mhlakuvana said.
Mhlakuvana said the confiscated firearms would be sent for ballistic testing.
The six suspects appeared in the Dikeni magistrate’s court on Wednesday facing allegations of extortion.
During court proceedings, foreign business owners held a picket outside the court asking for bail to be denied for the suspects.
Pakistani business owner in Dikeni, Saleem Rao, said they were relieved to hear of the arrest of the suspects.
“We have a good relationship with the Hawks. When this thing was rife last year, we went to them and told them we can’t take it any more and we were willing to assist them with the investigation.
“We told the Hawks they should investigate some of the police because whenever we report ... nothing happens.”
Rao said the businesses first called him when the incident happened.
“They took footage of them. I was then told and was shocked.
“I immediately informed the Hawks, who were grateful. We had a meeting last year with the provincial commissioner and I am happy they stuck to their word. There’s now top investigators looking into these cases,” Rao said.
He said the cellphone footage was in the possession of the Hawks and would be used during the investigation.
“We met the investigator outside the court, she has been busy and we hope this is the last time we hear of this story.
“It has been years being under these guys, I’ve had my cousins and brothers kidnapped in the past.”
In September last year, about 600 Islamic Circle of Southern Africa members attended a seminar about safety and security at the Amatola Auditorium in Qonce in the wake of the kidnapping, extortion and high crime rate in the Eastern Cape, especially in the Border Kei region.
During the event, Eastern Cape Islamic Circle of Southern Africa president Moulana Ashraf Saed said the province had been overwhelmed by these crimes. Reported kidnapping incidents were 184 in the first quarter of 2023, with ransom demands amounting to millions
The stats revealed that while Buffalo City Metro was the epicentre of the scourge in the Eastern Cape, Qonce, Butterworth, Dikeni, Tsomo, Ngqamakhwe, Cala, Komani, Stutterheim, Peddie, Engcobo, Ugie, Centane, Khowa (formerly Elliot), Dordrecht, Dutywa and Zwelitsha were also kidnapping hotspots.
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