Key points
- Yakhe Kwinana faces charges for extortion and property demolition.
- She allegedly used armed men to intimidate victims in East London.
- Kwinana is also facing fraud charges related to her role at SAA.
Yakhe Kwinana, 60, a former South African Airways (SAA) board member, faces charges of extortion and malicious damage to property.
Authorities accuse her of leading a campaign of terror in East London, where she allegedly extorted money with armed men and ordered property demolitions.
The police launched a multi-disciplinary operation to track her down. The National Intervention Unit, Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations, the Tactical Response Team, and the National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit collaborated on the case.
Acting on intelligence, officers found Kwinana in Midrand, Gauteng, and arrested her.
Allegations of extortion and intimidation
Police spokesperson Major-General Nonkululeko Phokane emphasized the severity of Kwinana’s alleged crimes.
Authorities link her to several cases of taxi violence and extortion in East London. Phokane stated that she frequently arrived with armed men to intimidate victims and force them to comply.
In many instances, she reportedly ordered the destruction of properties belonging to those who resisted.
Following her arrest, Kwinana appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. She will next appear before the East London Magistrate’s Court on March 24, 2025, as investigations continue.
Fraud allegations and SAA scandal
In November 2024, authorities arrested Kwinana for fraud related to her tenure at SAA.
She secured R20,000 bail after appearing in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court.
Prosecutors claim she defrauded SAA by failing to disclose past business ties with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Nkonki Incorporated. These companies secured a R59 million auditing contract for the airline in 2011/12.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane, Kwinana withheld critical information about her company’s previous dealings with PwC and Nkonki.
By doing so, she allegedly violated her fiduciary duties and harmed SAA’s financial administration.
