Extortion hinders economic growth and job creation, posing daily threats to residents’ safety and livelihoods. It robs people of opportunities and their dignity.

This is according to Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, who was speaking during his regular digital conference on safety, where he hosted Hubert Paulse, chairperson of Business against Crime South Africa (BACSA).

“The only way we will eradicate ‘extortion mafias’ is if we all work together. We cannot fight crime alone. We stand a better chance by collaborating and sharing resources,” stressed Winde.

BACSA is a non-profit organisation that was established in 1996. It played a crucial role in fostering partnerships between the private sector and law enforcement agencies across South Africa to collaborate in the fight against crime.

BACSA also participated in the Western Cape government’s Multi-Sectoral Anti-Extortion Summit this week.

This summit brought together various stakeholders, including Members of the Executive Council (MECs), the South African Police Service (SAPS), the City of Cape Town (CoCT), and academic experts, to discuss strategies for addressing the alarming increase in extortion, which has reached crisis levels nationwide.

“This was about the whole of government and society coming together to coordinate ourselves better to confront this ‘cancer’ called extortion and to discuss how we are going to rid ourselves of this horrendous crime that impacts so many of our residents and businesses,” said Winde.

Paulse has described BACSA as a public-private partnership that exists to make South Africa safer.

“Our message is simple but powerful. We foster collaboration with all stakeholders to fight crime. When we work together, we do not just reduce crime – we restore hope. And with hope comes confidence. Businesses become more willing to invest, and that investment leads to the creation of more jobs.”

The organisation operates several programmes addressing extortion, tourism safety, gender-based violence, infrastructure vandalism, and theft.

Paulse believes that technology is the “eyes and ears” of crime-fighting efforts, emphasising its initiative designed for an intelligence-gathering network.

“We are using that geographical footprint to increase the operational response and awareness of the SAPS,” he said.

In the meantime, the Premier stated that criminals are utilising technology and believes the government must stay ahead.

He also emphasised the essential role of neighbourhood watches (NHWs) and community policing forums (CPFs) in fighting and preventing crime.

“That is exactly what our whole-of-society approach is about. There is no doubt that residents who form or join NHWs know more about what is going on in their areas than anyone else, and they form essential partnerships with SAPS and municipal law enforcement. This enables residents to play a more meaningful role.”

He welcomed the recent proposal by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to give metro law enforcement bodies more powers to combat crime.

“This is a positive step forward. It does not matter who you are, national government, provincial governments, or civil society, we must all be obsessed and driven by the same thing, to build a safer, prosperous province and country.”

The Premier also condemned the recent minibus taxi-related violence in parts of Cape Town.

“It is intolerable that disputes are ‘negotiated’ through the barrel of a gun. But on a day when we are also highlighting the power of partnerships, I want to commend all the role players, from provincial traffic and city law enforcement to SAPS and our officials, for the speed and coordination with which they responded to the violence and threats.”

Originally posted on SAnews.gov.za