Trio arrested for extortion at Victoria West construction site
Shadow over the site: Three men were arrested in connection with a construction site extortion scandal near Victoria West.
Image: DFA / Created with DALL-E / Illustration
A BOLD attempt to allegedly hijack hiring decisions at a Northern Cape construction site has landed three men behind bars.
Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Merapelo Pilane said the suspects, aged between 35 and 60, were arrested this week after allegedly threatening a site manager at the Gama sub-station near Victoria West and demanding the removal of existing subcontractors.
The trio reportedly presented themselves as members of a local "committee" and insisted that only workers of their choosing be employed on the project. When their demands were not met, they allegedly resorted to intimidation - threatening violence if the site manager failed to comply.
The matter was reported to the authorities, and a case of extortion was opened. The Northern Cape SAPS Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit launched an investigation that led to the arrest of the suspects.
The men are expected to appear in the Victoria West Magistrate’s Court soon.
Extortion cases involving infrastructure and development projects have been on the rise, with the police warning that such crimes not only undermine public safety but also disrupt economic progress in the Northern Cape.
Sergeant Pilane urged anyone with information related to similar incidents to come forward. Reports can be made anonymously through the MySAPS app or the Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111.