Seven suspects arrested in a multi-million rand bus extortion racket spanning three provinces. Picture Credit: Groundup
By AIsha Zardad
Cape Town – Seven suspects allegedly involved in a multi-million rand extortion racket targeting long-distance bus operators have been arrested following a four-year investigation.
Western Cape police said the suspects, six men and one woman aged between 35 and 62, were apprehended in Cape Town, Matatiele in the Eastern Cape, and Nelspruit in Mpumalanga.
They are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing 125 charges including intimidation, interference with essential infrastructure, extortion, and money laundering.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the arrests are the culmination of intensive investigative work targeting key figures in the transport sector.
“These suspects allegedly worked between 2021 and 2023 to torment, intimidate, and extort major long-distance bus operators, coercing them to pay substantial sums for protection and permission to operate on licensed routes,” Potelwa said.
In some cases, the imposed payments were so crippling that businesses were forced to close or limit services, directly affecting travellers and raising transport costs.
The investigation revealed how the suspects controlled operational terms for bus operators, including routes, trip numbers, and passenger limits, demonstrating a highly coordinated illicit network.
“The illicit activities of the group are believed to be valued at hundreds of millions of rands,” Potelwa added.
