Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has rejected claims that informal settlements, migration, and underdevelopment are driving extortion syndicates in areas such as Nyanga, Philippi, and Samora Machel.

Instead, he argues that the surge in organised crime is primarily linked to weakened investigative capacity within the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Speaking in the provincial legislature, Winde said that organised crime had worsened significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic, during which criminal networks adapted and expanded their operations, particularly through extortion-related activities.

Winde described the situation as a growing national crisis, stating that organised crime has become deeply entrenched and has spread widely across the country.

He also reiterated his support for the devolution of certain policing powers to provincial level, suggesting that national policing structures are currently not responding effectively enough.According to him, stronger provincial involvement could improve responsiveness to local crime dynamics.

The Premier defended the role of the Western Cape’s Police Oversight and Community Safety department, noting that it maintains ongoing engagement with SAPS to address extortion affecting government staff, infrastructure projects, and service delivery.He encouraged residents in affected communities to use the City of Cape Town’s anonymous tip-off mechanisms to report extortion safely.

However, Winde was challenged by Members of the Provincial Legislature who suggested that informal settlements and poverty could be contributing factors.He rejected this view, stating that evidence does not support a direct link, as similar conditions in other areas do not always result in extortion.

Former SAPS anti-gang head Major-General Jeremy Vearey also weighed in, saying no causal link exists between informal settlements and extortion, warning against interpretations with racial undertones.He further explained that extortion is often embedded in gang business models and relies on victims reporting incidents before cases can be opened.