A Somali national was shot and killed in what officers believe was another extortion-related incident in Nyanga on Friday 31 October, highlighting the escalating violence plaguing foreign-owned businesses in Cape Town informal settlements.
The victim, whose identity has not yet been released, was gunned down at 11:25 on Sonwabile Drive in Old Crossroad, Nyanga. The officers discovered his body with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper torso.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that a murder case has been opened, with extortion believed to be the primary motive behind the killing.
“Nyanga officers responded to reports of a shooting at the mentioned address, where they found the body of an unidentified Somali national who had been shot and fatally wounded,” van Wyk stated.
The incident underscores mounting tensions in communities where protection rackets have increasingly targeted foreign-owned spaza shops. A local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, corroborated the extortion angle.
“I don’t think the motive was robbery. Since unknown people started collecting money from Somali-owned shops, no one robs these businesses anymore. Instead, the extortion groups are killing each other,” the community member explained.
The resident painted a disturbing picture of systematic extortion affecting not only foreign-owned businesses but potentially extending to government projects in the area.
“There are allegations that even government projects need to pay money to operate in our communities. If the government itself is paying extortionists, how can this ever end?” he questioned.
The community member expressed frustration with authorities’ response to the growing crisis, describing current living conditions as “abnormal” and criticizing what he perceives as government inaction.
“The issue of extortion has been a problem for so long. I fail to understand why officers don’t have a plan to address it,” he said.
