JOHANNESBURG - It's tantamount to extortion. That's how owners of guesthouses in the Eastern Cape are describing the actions of government officials and others - who have allegedly forced business owners to pay them a portion of their accommodation fees.
The Border-Kei Chamber of Business says this has been happening for several years.
The modus operandi of these scammers is often to use travel agents to book guesthouses that don't necessarily serve meals.
After checking out, these individuals then demand a refund for meals that were either not catered for during their stay or food that the guests have rejected in exchange for cash.
Many in the hospitality industry are calling on government and law enforcement agencies to intervene.