A high-stakes operation unfolded in Milnerton, Cape Town, late Thursday evening when a specialised SAPS task force intercepted a group of alleged extortionists.
Story Summary:
- SAPS task force intercepted suspects en route to commit a mass shooting in Milnerton, leading to a deadly shootout.
- Four suspects were killed, and four others were seriously injured in the operation.
- The scene remains active as investigations continue.
Milnerton shootout: SAPS intercepts alleged extortionists before mass shooting
The suspects were reportedly on their way to carry out a mass shooting when they were confronted by police, resulting in a shootout that left four suspects dead and four others seriously wounded.
Brigadier Novella Potelwa confirmed the details of the operation, stating:
“An operation by a Western Cape task team following intelligence about wanted alleged extortionists led to a shootout between the police and the suspects who were driving in a minibus. As a result, four suspects were shot dead and four others seriously wounded.”
The injured suspects, aged between 23 and 38, are currently under police guard in a medical facility.
The shootout began when the suspects opened fire on the pursuing officers, prompting them to return fire.
The police seized four firearms and multiple rounds of ammunition from the suspects’ vehicle.
The area remains an active crime scene as investigators continue to gather evidence and assess the situation.
Extortion in Cape Town: Here’s How the Network Operates
Cape Town is facing a serious and growing threat from organised extortion networks that have infiltrated various sectors of the city’s economy.
According to a report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), these networks are deeply entrenched and operate across multiple sectors, creating a complex web of criminal activity that is difficult to dismantle.
The report identifies four main extortion economies in Cape Town:
- CBD Night-Time Economy: Initially focused on the nightlife industry, including bars and nightclubs, extortionists have expanded their reach to restaurants, coffee shops, and other businesses. The GI-TOC report notes that the “expansion into other business sectors has normalised extortion as a cost of doing business in the CBD.”
- Construction Mafia: In this sector, criminal groups target infrastructure projects and construction sites, demanding protection fees and halting work until their demands are met. The report highlights that these methods have been “copied and adapted from practices in KwaZulu-Natal,” with the Cape Town construction mafia now exporting similar tactics to other parts of South Africa.
- Transport Extortion: Traditionally associated with the minibus taxi industry, this form of extortion has expanded to include buses, private transport, and even individual vehicles. The GI-TOC warns that this expansion “poses a significant risk to public safety and the functioning of Cape Town’s transport infrastructure.”
- Township Enterprise Extortion: This sector targets both formal and informal businesses in townships such as Khayelitsha and Gugulethu. Extortionists demand payments from businesses and even municipal workers, creating an environment where “extortion has become pervasive and widely accepted in a relatively short period of time.”
The interconnected nature of these extortion economies means that criminal actors often move between sectors, refining their methods and expanding their influence.
The GI-TOC report states that “these networks are highly organised, with lessons learned from one sector being applied to others, making them particularly challenging to dismantle.”
Mervyn Menigo of the National Prosecuting Authority explained during a Business Against Crime South Africa conference that the threat of extortion lies not just in the direct violence but in the “implied threat” that comes with a criminal’s reputation.
“People think he must threaten me with death before I make a case. It’s not [the case]; it’s the pressure,” Menigo said.
The authorities have not ruled out the possibility of more arrests as they continue to investigate the broader network behind this attempted mass shooting.