'They want R1 from each loaf': Small businesses highlight safety concerns to Deputy President

Business extortion took centre stage at a youth engagement with Deputy President Paul Mashatile in Cape Town on Tuesday.

Mashatile is meeting young people at a Presidential Youth Roundtable in Khayelitsha, focusing on the lived realities of young South Africans.

Youth from the area raised concerns directly with the Deputy President, highlighting challenges such as unemployment, crime, and the safety of small businesses.

A young bakery owner from Mfuleni near Khayelitsha, Viwe Phuthuma, told the gathering she fears for her safety and the future of her business due to ongoing extortion threats.

READ: Khayelitsha youth look to President for solutions to social ills

"Recently I was visited by guys and they demanded [a] protection fee. They said to me they are going to come back; I must think about it because they want R1 from each loaf that I'm selling."

In response, Mashatile acknowledged the seriousness of the problem, describing extortion as a scourge that harms communities and economic growth.

"The Minister of Police has a team that is looking into this to make sure that people who are given contracts are protected to do their work."

Mashatile also urged community members to assist the police in reporting and combating organised crime in the areas.