A total of 745 cases of construction-related extortion have been reported since the construction summit held in Durban last November, public works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson said on Friday.
Macpherson said 240 related arrests have been made.
Four provinces account for 84% of cases: Gauteng has 241 cases reported and 81 arrests; the Western Cape has 198 cases and 73 arrests; KwaZulu-Natal has 102 cases and 16 arrests: and the Eastern Cape has 86 cases and six arrests.
This was revealed at the first quarterly meeting of the minister and MECs for public works and infrastructure from all provinces.
The National Summit on Crime-Free Construction Sites produced the Durban Declaration which was signed between the police, Treasury and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
“It was the first time that the government convened with different stakeholders to develop a comprehensive joint approach to bring an end to these disruptions, which chase away investment and delay construction projects.”
Macpherson added that since then, remarkable progress had been made towards restoring the rule of law at construction sites and halting extortion by criminal elements. “The summit has been shown to be a turning point in our fight against the construction mafia.”
Intensified intelligence gathering, data tracking and law enforcement operations were a significant factor in this success.
Economic infrastructure task teams have been deployed to known construction mafia hotspots, with swift arrests and protection of infrastructure.
The anonymous extortion hotline has received 779 reports, with 30 cases being referred to provincial authorities for intervention.
MacPherson thanked the police and police minister Senzo Mchunu for the leading role they have played in helping to turn the tide against the construction mafia. They have built a partnership, he said, which is turning the tide against those who seek to inflict economic terrorism on the country.
He said engagement with the Treasury has started to reform regulations under the Public Procurement Act to close the loopholes, used by the construction mafia to demand 30% of infrastructure project procurement.
[Image: by chandan bagh from Pixabay