Melikhaya Zagagana29 August 2024 | 5:58

CoCT says police making headway with investigations into extortion-related incidents

The city's MMC for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said that crimes like extortion and gang violence required all spheres of governments to work together.

CoCT says police making headway with investigations into extortion-related incidents

Picture: @SAPoliceService/X

CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town said that police investigations into extortion-related incidents in the metro were showing good progress.

The comments came just a few days after city officials, the South African Police Service (SAPS), and provincial authorities agreed to work together to fight crime.

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The city's MMC for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said that crimes like extortion and gang violence required all spheres of governments to work together.

Smith said he was looking forward to working with the SAPS.
 
"We are optimistic that we will see accelerated cooperation on the extortion similar to where we got with kidnapping. We made very good breakthroughs with kidnapping. We would like to see the same happen around the very same serious threat that experienced extortion syndicates hold for the public and private sectors."

Smith added that there's already been signs of cooperation with the SAPS.

"Let’s see where this leads us, but there's some very practical stuff that will immediately impact around gang violence and extortion, and the ability to share crime intelligence, and share data in ways that were not previously possible with political guidance being given."