38 out of 2000 Eastern Cape extortion cases investigated: Mchunu

The Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu says 38 out of 2000 extortion cases reported to the police in the Eastern Cape on the extortion hotline are being investigated.

He says most of the cases acted as tip-offs that enabled police to find the suspected masterminds behind extortions in the province.

Mchunu was speaking in Gqeberha during the signing of the Agreement of Cooperation between the three spheres of government to combat the high levels of crime in the Eastern Cape.

Police made a breakthrough in combating extortion that has gripped hotspot crime areas of Umtata and Gqeberha. It’s all hands on deck, bringing together resources from all spheres of government to bring crime to an end.

“We have had 2000 calls being made to the extortion hotline and 1 110 of these have been prank calls. But we are pleased that 38 of the cases reported have been real cases that we are now investigating. Most of these reported cases have also helped us to get to some of the masterminds behind the extortion syndicates,” says Lt Gen Fannie Masemola, National Police Commissioner.

The Eastern Cape has seen a 2.6% increase in the murder rate compared to last year, with Nelson Mandela Metro, Buffalo City and Mthatha identified as hotspot areas in the province, that need urgent intervention.

“This agreement must go just beyond signing paper, but the commitment must come from the police to do all they can to deal with those that are making the lives of citizens through crime. If we don’t fight crime our citizens will continue to be victims and never forgive, regardless of age those that commit crime but feel the wrath of the police, must not be scared to fight against all odds,” says Mchunu.

1 000 extra police officers were deployed to the Eastern Cape to combat crime. Now, an agreement of cooperation has been signed by the three spheres of government to work together in the province.

“Although we have done well to fight extortion in the province, there is still so much more to be done to rule it out completely. The Eastern Cape is a huge province with a lot of rural areas and therefore to deal with crime properly we need more resources, we need soldiers deployed throughout Eastern Cape, we need helicopters to deal with heists and stock theft, and essentially, we need more police to deal with crime,” says Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane.

A call has been lodged to community members to assist the police by ringing the extortion hotline number to report criminal and extortion syndicates in their area.