Cape Town was described as being “in the eye of an extortion storm” at a recent murder trial where Western Cape High Court Judge Daniel Thulare handed down seven life terms to two gangster extortionists.
Gcinithemba Beja and Fundile Maseti, affiliated to the notorious Gupta gang, during their reign of terror in the Khayelitsha community, were arrested following a battle for extortion turf.
The duo were convicted on seven counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition.
This comes as Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis confirmed the City had to add additional security measures at an informal settlement due to staff on site being targeted by extortionists.
In a social media post, Hill-Lewis confirmed the City had to cough up for additional security measures for a tactical armed team to be on site while the City completes a sewer and storm water upgrade in an informal settlement which will commence tomorrow (April 24).
In his judgment, Judge Thulare said extortion has become a “lucrative business”.
“The failed expectations, high rate of unemployment and lack of opportunities for young people resulted in many young people, especially Blacks, getting poorer, in the midst of the cost of living that is rising.
“The poverty, for the greedy and moral ‘factory faults’ of society, has created a fertile environment for crime.
Greed has for them made poverty and crime blood cousins. “The observation that I can make, from the facts of the case before me, is that in the black settlement areas of Cape Town, greedy criminals solicit money from business people. If you refused to pay or cannot afford, they threaten to make your life a living hell, with the result that you could not continue doing business. They would rob, or even kill you. Extortion and harassment were alive and kicking. The criminals deem themselves entitled to the share of any income, not just profits.
“Unless they meet the authority of the State face to face, they remain unstoppable. The extortion and harassment became an unwelcome influence, but had an economic effect in alleviating poverty for those practising it. It did not just become standard practice, but seems to have become a lucrative business,” said Thulare.
The duo were arrested after being part of a group of shooters who ambushed a now deceased co-extortionist at Q166, Khayelitsha.
The judge described the scene at Q166 “as a scene reminiscent of the Wild Wild West television series. The accused together with others made a grand entrance, carrying big and small guns, and shot randomly at attendees”.
“The attack was intended to send a message to anyone who crossed the path of the Gupta-gang, that it was not only the betrayer who was placed in danger, but anyone who associated with such a crosser. As I mentioned in the judgment on the merits, the attack was brazen and meant to enforce an iron grip on the community,” said Judge Thulare.
Cape Times