The extent of abuse against vulnerable groups in the name of compulsory protection fees in the Mthatha-West has reached a boiling point. People living with disabilities in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape have become the latest targets of alleged extortion in exchange for protection, as extortion continues to rise in the province. They say they are forced by criminals and threatened to pay what is termed a protection fee against break-ins.
Some of the victims are deaf and blind. They say they are being forced to hand over their house keys to the alleged criminals and vacate their houses if they refuse.
"I did not go out of my premises. I locked the house for a short time and after that, I locked at the gate and they came for the second time and demanded the keys and the police arrived at that time when they were demanding my keys," says Nomzingisi Nomgogwana, victim.
"We are the victims of the protection fee in the way that we are disturbed in our lives because this protection is unusual to us because we have always stayed free here, because Efata is our home, and Efata is the place where we settled freely and fair," Nomgogwana adds.
The alleged extortion is alleged to emanate from a fight over a piece of land that is occupied by those alleging extortion.
