A man who is accused of threatening dozens of residents in Beacon Bay in East London made a second court appearance in the Magistrates Court on Monday.
Forty-eight-year-old Clyde Zehmke allegedly wrote a disturbing letter to at least 30 residents, demanding R22 000 from each, claiming that their lives were in danger.
The letter gave further instructions on how his victims would have to place the money in a bin behind a transformer on the 16th of November, between 7 and 8 pm.
This assisted police to set up a trap for him that led to his arrest.
On Monday during Zehmke's bail hearing it emerged in court that at least 15 of the complainants who received the letters, work at Mercedes Benz.
Magistrate Luyanda Gobingca postponed the matter to the 28th of November to allow the state to determine whether or not the matter should be classified as a schedule 5 offence.
Zehmke, who had a new legal representative on Monday, is currently being charged with a schedule 1 offence.
According to the State, for the case to be a schedule 5 the amount extorted would have to be R500 000 if he is not part of a syndicate and R100 000 if he is.
The court heard that additional charges could be added to Zehmke's temporary charge sheet as more alleged victims come forward.
The accused remains in custody.
