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‘Khayelitsha is not a jungle’ - the slogan for a community campaign fighting against criminal groups that are bleeding the local economy.

Khayelitsha may have its roots in the apartheid project of keeping black residents as far out of town as possible, but its residents feel it's a township filled with the promise of incredible development, if only everyone would stand against crime.

Kidnappings and extortion targeting Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Chinese and Somali nationals are rife in Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Blue Downs, Samora Machel and Mfuleni in the Western Cape. Foreign nationals are now considering packing up and returning to their homelands. Kidnappings...

The targets are usually wealthy businesspeople and their families. The kidnappings are often planned by local or national syndicates, who then extort money from the victim’s family.

Experts say there is a marked increase in extortion and kidnappings targeting small businesses and several Cape townships.