Extortion Crisis Hits Cape Town Spaza Shops | Johannesburg News

Cape Town’s foreign-owned spaza shops are under siege as criminal gangs demand escalating “protection fees,” often targeting immigrant owners who fear retaliation—especially when police officers are suspected of complicity. With extortion cases surging in the Western Cape and deadly shootings already claimed lives, victims stay silent, worsening the crisis. Gangs now use bank statements to gauge payouts, turning everyday commerce into a perilous gamble—and authorities scramble to stop an explosion of violence that’s reshaping the city’s business landscape. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Sources:https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/2026-09-14-cape-towns-extortion-gangs-prey-on-foreign-owned-spaza-shops/ More coverage & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/829d6174e5e4c89c Report issues to [email protected].