Business owners in the Eastern Cape are said to be living in fear following a surge in protection fee masters who threaten business owners in exchange for protection fees.
Last week, an ophthalmologist had to shut down his practice after being threatened by these syndicates who prey on vulnerable business owners.
“Dear clients, patients, relatives and colleagues. This serves as a formal notice to inform you and those concerned of the permanent closure of this Ophthalmology practice as of 13 August 2024. This office's premature and permanent closure is due to hostile criminal activities that have threatened my life and well-being and have forced premature and forced closure of this Ophthalmology Medical Practice permanently.
“I will miss my staff, colleagues and most importantly, my patients,whom I have treated with the utmost care and diligence ever since I opened the doors of this practice in 2019, as the first specialist Ophthalmologist that originates in this town,” the doctor wrote in his notice.
UDM leader, Bantu Holomisa, said he too was concerned about the growth in this scourge, particularly in the Eastern Cape, following numerous reports of business closures due to these syndicates.
“I briefed Mr Mchunu during the Cabinet Lekgotla meeting recently about the crime situation in EC and in particular in Mthatha . As a result he visited Mthatha and other EC hotspots where he engaged the communities. He was accompanied by Premier Mabuyane,” said Holomisa on his X account.
The rise in these incidents includes a surge in water tank mafias, construction mafias and other criminal syndicates that target local businesses demanding they be pay protection fees which range from 30% to 50% of contract fees.
Authorities have declared war against the construction mafia, but now, the so-called “water tanker mafias” have also entered the fray.
It is reported that these syndicates are mostly made up of secret criminal organisations often linked to local business forums.
Professor Dumisani Mabunda from the Police Practice Department at Unisa told eNCA that more needs to be done by law enforcement agencies to stop the surge.
“It is not about what the police are telling us, but about the communities. These crimes should be easy for the police to investigate. This is because these victims are approached by other human beings who have identities.
“They should take that information to the police to solve these issues as these mafias are daring and have no fear of the laws of the country. In other countries such as Columbia this started small... I am hopeful that the police minister will work with affected communities,” said Mabunda.
Last week, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu, alongside Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Community Safety MEC Xolile Nqatha, led a high-level crime prevention engagement session in Mthatha.
The meeting, which brought together representatives from national, provincial, and local government to address the province’s most pressing crime challenges and formulate strategic interventions to restore public confidence in safety and security, sought to find lasting solutions to the crime problems in the province.
The engagement session, attended by high-ranking police officials, was focused on analysing the most prevalent crimes in the Eastern Cape, including drug distribution and usage, murders, stock theft, illegal occupation of public buildings, and extortion.
“We are here to ensure that the perception of crime being out of control is contained,” the minister said.
Last month, the SABC reported that criminal syndicates were now targeting vulnerable members of society, including the elderly and people living with disabilities who are forced to pay ‘protection fees’ against break-ins.
Some of the victims are deaf and blind. They say they are being forced to hand over their house keys to the alleged criminals and vacate their houses if they refuse.
“I did not go out of my premises. I locked the house for a short time and after that, I locked at the gate and they came for the second time and demanded the keys and the police arrived at that time when they were demanding my keys,” one victim told SABC.
The Star