Firm seeks to interdict business forums

Members of the Delangokubona Business Forum again found themselves before the Durban High Court on Monday as a construction company moved to interdict them from impeding work on a R132-million inner-city hotel.

Innova Turnkey brought an application against the forum and another group, Isivuthevuthe Se-Theku Forum, to prevent them from blocking construction at the site in the CBD.

The forums have taken on the largest construction firms in South Africa, a situation many believe has put civil works projects worth billions of rands at risk.

In February, a R1.8-billion revamp of Tsogo Sun's Suncoast Casino was halted
by the forum, which is accused of using threats of violence, intimidation and extortion to get lucrative construction work.

Innova Turnkey security manager Gideon Rousseau said in an affidavit that members of the forums had shut down their construction site earlier this year.

"Approximately 30 members of the Delangokubona Business Forum arrived on site and locked employees in a container. They were eventually freed," he said.

A month later, forum members demanded a meeting with site managers.

"They prevented workers from entering and leaving through the main gate."

They were rebuffed when police and security personnel were called to the scene.

The order of the court interdicting the forums from further disrupting work was confirmed in July.

Lawyers for Innova Turnkey on Monday applied to have the rule discharged against Isivuthevuthe Se-Theku Forum.