Government vows to end construction mafia
Players in the construction sector and government structures are meeting at the ICC Durban as part of the current summit which is aimed to engage in meaningful dialogue and share best practices for preventing crime on construction sites.
THE Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), in collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), is currently engaged in a National Construction Summit on Crime-Free Construction Sites at ICC Durban to address the growing concerns surrounding safety, the construction mafia, security and other criminal activity on construction sites.
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson said the battle lines have been drawn. “We are drawing a line in the sand to say that lawlessness will no longer be tolerated. We will no longer be negotiating with criminals just to be able to build the essential roads, dams, schools and hospitals that our people need. This is not just another talk shop; today, we are taking action.”
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“We are gathered here to have difficult conversations, to build understanding and to develop a concrete plan to permanently bring an end to the criminality and the thuggery,” he stressed.
Macpherson assured that he had no doubt that the solutions agreed upon today would break the back of these criminal syndicates once and for all.
Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu said, “The construction sector is fundamental to our country’s development. However, it has increasingly been targeted by organised crime syndicates and extortion rackets that threaten not only individual projects but also the safety and stability of entire communities. This is a reality we cannot ignore, and it is why the South African Police Service has taken significant strides to address these criminal elements directly.”
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He further said, “There are several measures we are implementing internally: Crime Intelligence plays a critical role in identifying emerging threats, gathering intelligence and locating suspects linked to these syndicates. Our Organised Crime unit will be crucial in ensuring that these activities are carried out. In addition to specialised investigative teams, visible policing combat units have been deployed to hotspot areas for patrols and crime prevention – to stabilise the situation and address the violence associated with these syndicates.”
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