WATCH | Construction mafias strangling all spheres of government, says Cogta minister

Construction mafias delaying projects through extortion have become a culture in all spheres of government and do not only affect isolated or major development projects, says  co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Thembi Nkadimeng.

Government is taking steps to address the problem of armed groups hijacking infrastructure construction projects, she told a media briefing on Sunday after the ANC national executive committee meeting at the Birchwood Hotel.

“Construction mafias are relatively a common phenomenon which is a problem in any sphere of government that tries to build. Whether it is minister Sindisiwe Chikunga [transport minister] and the South African National Roads Agency trying to build a road that cuts through a settlement it has a potential of being stopped. Whether it is a municipal project or building of a school.”

Nkadimeng said the government had an interministerial committee led by Deputy President Paul Mashatile which tracks progress of projects and enables government to flag projects affected by construction mafias to law enforcement authorities.

City of Cape Town MMC for transport Roberto Quintas said construction mafias delayed R58.6m worth of transport projects in the region which were financed in the past financial year, but by June [weeks before new financial year starting in July] the projects were still halted. 

“At least seven major projects have been halted due to safety concerns on site, ranging from the construction of new public transport infrastructure to road reconstruction and stormwater maintenance, primarily in our most vulnerable communities,” Quintas said.

“The brazen attempts by these mafia-style extortionists are intensifying. They are holding to ransom the city and our contractors and, ultimately, at the expense of service delivery to those who need these services most. It is completely and utterly unconscionable.” 

Recently, TimesLIVE reported public works and infrastructure minister Sihle Zikalala said he was considering the possibility of deploying the army to deal with construction mafias. 

“A suggestion from the Eastern Cape has come to rope in the army and we believe that is a subject that must still be discussed internally. But the first intervention should be through facilitation and if facilitation doesn’t work and it’s clear the police are not successful, then we must bring in the army, if necessary. But we are not a military state,” he said. 

TimesLIVE