According to preliminary reports, the suspects shot at police who were following the vehicle and the officers returned fire.
“As a result four suspects were shot dead and four others seriously wounded. The wounded suspects, all from Cape Town and aged 23, 30, 34 and 38, are under police guard in a medical facility,” Potelwa said.
“Four firearms and rounds of ammunition were seized from the vehicle.”
Ward councillor Anthony Benadie told TimesLIVE it was commendable that police had tracked down the extortionists before they could execute what they had planned.
He said residents within his ward and the broader community had first-hand experience of extortion.
“It’s not just a matter of the construction mafia, in our area the matter relating to the so-called protection fees is very much the order of the day as there are many traders who live in fear and money gets collected from them on a monthly basis,” said Benadie.
President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the takedown operation by SAPS at the signing of the Western Cape co-operation agreement for safety and policing in Belhar on Friday. The agreement paves the way for closer collaboration between the SAPS, the City of Cape Town and provincial law enforcement authorities.
“The police did what they should be doing to protect our people, to protect businesses against extortion and to protect our people against acts of criminality,” said Ramaphosa.
“We are taking the war to those who extort money, the construction mafia and gangsters. We are going to take you on and make sure you are brought to justice.”
Ramaphosa said under the agreement, “we will be sharing technology and resources, information and best practice to improve the state of public policing”.
“Through this agreement we are sharpening our response to serious and violent crime. The exchange of information on crime activity and suspects will make this province safer.
“The exchange of information of new crime trends will ensure we are one step ahead of criminals. Greater collaboration will make it easier to trace suspects and wanted people who are evading arrest and prosecution. By drawing on each other’s expertise, we will be able to do much more than if we were each working alone. This is an approach we are taking across the country,” said Ramaphosa.
TimesLIVE
Shoot-out in Milnerton: 4 killed, 4 wounded as cops confront gunmen
Ramaphosa warns extortionists after takedown: 'We are going to take you on'
Four men were shot dead and four wounded during a shoot-out with police officers investigating an alleged extortion ring in Cape Town.
“The eight suspects were allegedly on their way to commit a mass shooting,” said national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe.
Western Cape police spokesperson Brig Novella Potelwa said: “As police comb the scene and investigations continue, further details are expected to emerge.”
A task team was investigating intelligence about wanted alleged extortionists, he said.
The suspects were sighted while travelling in a minibus on Thursday evening in Milnerton.
According to preliminary reports, the suspects shot at police who were following the vehicle and the officers returned fire.
“As a result four suspects were shot dead and four others seriously wounded. The wounded suspects, all from Cape Town and aged 23, 30, 34 and 38, are under police guard in a medical facility,” Potelwa said.
“Four firearms and rounds of ammunition were seized from the vehicle.”
Ward councillor Anthony Benadie told TimesLIVE it was commendable that police had tracked down the extortionists before they could execute what they had planned.
He said residents within his ward and the broader community had first-hand experience of extortion.
“It’s not just a matter of the construction mafia, in our area the matter relating to the so-called protection fees is very much the order of the day as there are many traders who live in fear and money gets collected from them on a monthly basis,” said Benadie.
President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the takedown operation by SAPS at the signing of the Western Cape co-operation agreement for safety and policing in Belhar on Friday. The agreement paves the way for closer collaboration between the SAPS, the City of Cape Town and provincial law enforcement authorities.
“The police did what they should be doing to protect our people, to protect businesses against extortion and to protect our people against acts of criminality,” said Ramaphosa.
“We are taking the war to those who extort money, the construction mafia and gangsters. We are going to take you on and make sure you are brought to justice.”
Ramaphosa said under the agreement, “we will be sharing technology and resources, information and best practice to improve the state of public policing”.
“Through this agreement we are sharpening our response to serious and violent crime. The exchange of information on crime activity and suspects will make this province safer.
“The exchange of information of new crime trends will ensure we are one step ahead of criminals. Greater collaboration will make it easier to trace suspects and wanted people who are evading arrest and prosecution. By drawing on each other’s expertise, we will be able to do much more than if we were each working alone. This is an approach we are taking across the country,” said Ramaphosa.
TimesLIVE
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