Success in the eradication of extortion rings in the construction sector lies in the same strategy government employed in the fight against cash-in-transit heists, according to Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who was replying to questions in the National Assembly on Thursday.
He said the government of national unity (GNU) was prioritising the problem of crime including the construction mafia.
“One of the things government is doing is to have specialised forces to deal with particular crime. You will recall that there was a time when South Africa had a big problem of cash-in-transit heists, and we had to put a special team to focus on that,” said Mashatile.
“So some of these problems require that kind of approach, where you have a special dedicated team to deal with the problem and wipe it out. That, really, is what we must do.”
The so-called construction mafia are extortion groups that typically seek to forcefully extract protection fees — or 30% or the project’s worth — from companies awarded government tenders or contracted for private construction projects, under the guise of local community interests.
Instead of “just looking for traffic fines, instead of fighting crime”, Mashatile said metro police must “focus on the real problem”.
He added: “You may even miss your plane on the way to the airport because they are busy with a roadblock for tickets. Those people must be put to good use. They must go after the criminals and stop inconveniencing citizens who are trying to catch a plane.”
Mashatile emphasised that “their [extortionists] existence and activities significantly undermine the concept of a developmental state”.
He said they pose serious a threat to public safety and integrity of construction projects, which are essential in driving economic growth and development.
Investigating capacity has been established to address extortion, with a particular focus on the most affected provinces, where top class detectives and criminal intelligence work is being intensified to produce airtight prosecutions, and see these perpetrators locked up and the proceeds of their crimes seized.
In addition to various policies aimed at curtailing and eliminating the mafia phenomenon, Mashatile said the private security sector must also be brought on board. He raised a concern that “despite all efforts, the actual number of crimes committed by these mafias may actually be under-reported as witnesses and victims are reluctant to come forward”.
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