Extortionists target pensioners in South Africa amid rising crisis

Extortion has long been an issue in South Africa, but recent reports reveal it has reached alarming levels, with withdrawals now being targeted for their pension funds, Cape {town} Etc reports.

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A Mpumalanga school principal, who retired in March, said that she fears for her safety after receiving threats from a man demanding a portion of her pension. The 62-year-old reported that the man threatened her over the phone, saying she must hand over 30% of her pension or face her death.

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She recounted, ‘I received the first anonymous call a month after retirement and my funds had not been paid to me then. I told the man, who was very aggressive on the phone, that I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but he said he would show me who runs the village. The next morning my two dogs were dead – poisoned – and all my car tires slashed.’

The man called again, warning her that if she didn’t comply, things would get even worse. The widow, living alone since her husband’s death two years ago, declared, ‘I will not pay them a cent. They can come and kill me. I have worked hard for my pension, for more than two decades and I will not give it away. I would rather die.’

In Kwaggafontein, Mpumalanga, a car wash owner reported that extortionists demanded R200 monthly from him, threatening to burn down his business if he refused.

‘We cannot find work anywhere and when we try to eke a living, we are terrified by self-proclaimed owners of this place. Now they are even beginning to demand a cut from people’s salaries,’ he said.

The situation has worsened in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, where extortion has reached a crisis level, leading to the closure of several businesses and schools. Laphumikwezi Primary School in Khayelitsha was shut down after men demanded money for a cell tower on school grounds. The principal deputy was assaulted in front of students for refusing to hand over funds.

Local sources attribute these demands to a local chief, Dalindzolo Mareke, who was also linked to the closure of a Sasol garage last year. Eastern Cape education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima confirmed that three other schools, including Efata School for the Blind and Mandela Park Primary School, have also been targeted, with a fourth school yet to be identified.

A source said, ‘He (Mareke) is very powerful; we’re not even allowed to mention the term ‘protection fee’. He even forced us to march in his defense, denying any accusations against him. He also monitors people’s posts on Facebook and targets them.’

Last week, AbaThembu king Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo visited Khayelitsha with the police, urging schools to reopen. He dismissed Mareke as a self-styled chief without recognition on AbaThembu land.

Before the king’s visit, Mareke had demanded the community’s support to defend him. In a recorded message, Mareke stated, ‘You remember the last time we appeared on Cutting Edge, where they falsely claimed that Mthatha West residents are paying a protection fee of R200 each month. That is not true.’

Mareke also dismissed rumors that car owners were forced to pay R350, calling such reports false. Allegedly, a man went to Bedford Orthopedic Hospital in Mthatha demanding a protection fee and claiming to represent Mareke. Mareke denied involvement in this incident.

An eye-care specialist closed his Mthatha practice, citing ‘hostile criminal activities’ as the reason. In response to Dalindyebo’s visit, Mareke instructed residents to defend him and expressed frustration that they did not protest against the king. He also requested R100 from each resident to fund a lawsuit against Dalindyebo.

In response to the escalating unrest, the Eastern Cape Chamber of Business has urged the police minister to replace officers in Mthatha, alleging some are colluding with extortionists. Chamber president Vuyisile Ntlabathi stated, ‘Some of the police have been conniving with these guys, so they need new faces, and some must be transferred elsewhere. People need to have confidence. They have not been reporting cases because, once we report them, certain police tips off the criminals, and you get a phone call. Businesses closed, and people lived in fear.’

National police commissioner Fannie Masemola announced that eight suspects had been arrested in Mthatha related to extortion since February and more police have been deployed. Plans are underway to introduce a toll-free line for the Eastern Cape to encourage reporting of extortion incidents.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe reported that 772 alleged extortionists had been arrested nationwide, with 58 convicted and 93 cases still under investigation. Problematic provinces include Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga.

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Picture: ER Lombard / Gallo Images