In a fierce address at the National Construction Summit on Crime Free Construction Sites held at the Durban ICC on Tuesday, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu issued a stern warning to construction mafias and extortionists wreaking havoc on government and private construction projects across South Africa.
The summit, organised by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), comes amidst rising reports of criminal syndicates obstructing vital infrastructure and building initiatives nationwide.
Mchunu's remarks reflect a worrying trend, particularly in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape, which statistically hold the highest rates of crime, including heinous acts such as rape, murder, gender-based violence, and extortion. These regions have also experienced the most documented cases of organised crime impeding construction efforts, creating a climate of fear and uncertainty in the industry.
Last year, former Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala revealed that the police were saddled with a total of 682 cases (132 extortion and 550 extortion-related cases) were being investigated by the Organised Crime Investigations Detective Services.
“Four provinces—KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape—have the highest rates of all crime, including rape, murder, GBV, and extortion. These provinces also have the most documented instances of criminal syndicates impeding project construction or execution,” Mchunu stated, emphasising the grave implications of such lawlessness on critical infrastructure developments.
To combat this crisis, Mchunu highlighted that the police department is collaborating with various law enforcement agencies, including the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (DPCI) and the Hawks. This partnership is vital, as many incidents involve organised crime figures and esteemed officials, thus necessitating a complex and proficient approach to law enforcement.
In a notable success story, Mchunu recounted an incident in Garankuwa involving the construction of an Oncology Unit at the George Mukhari Hospital. “A group of alleged community members stopped the site, assaulted the site manager, damaged property, and obstructed delivery trucks. A case was opened on the 9th of November 2024 for assault, intimidation, extortion, and trespassing. Thanks to a strategic operation, three male suspects were arrested yesterday,” he shared.
Delving deeper into the threats posed by organised crime, Mchunu expressed concern about the alarming correlation between construction site crimes and broader issues of intimidation, targeted murders, and potential collusion between officials and gangs, leading to a disturbing phenomenon that he described as a form of “state capture” by criminal elements within the public sector.
Mchunu also urged South Africans and businesses who are victims of intimidation from construction mafias to step forward and engage with the police. “At the end of the day, crimes on construction sites fall under organised crime and there is capacity in the department to deal with organised crime. We need your reports to take action,” he stated.
The Star