The KwaZulu-Natal organised crime investigations are pursuing 682 extortion-related cases while 702 people have been arrested for similar offences, Public Works minister Sihle Zikalala said on Friday.
All these cases, according to Zikalala, are against people who are alleged to be blockading and disrupting work on construction sites around Durban.
Zikalala revealed this during his visit to KwaZulu-Natal, where he arrived to conduct an inspection on projects that have been blocked and delayed due to the “hijackings” and “disruptions”.
One of these is the Durban high court project, which is one of those that have experienced delays due to illegal occupation and the hijacking of the site by alleged criminals and gangs known as “construction mafia” that are extorting money from construction sites.
He said the disruptions have cost the KZN economy over R68 billion.
According to the reports received from the police, a total of 682 cases are being investigated by the organised crime investigations detective services.
To date the police have made 702 arrests. According to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, the disruption and blockages of construction sites cost the economy over R68 billion before Covid-19 in 186 projects.
“The government, through the Ministry of Police, has tasked the organized crime investigations detective services, as well as the serious organized crime unit within the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations [Hawks] to look into this matter urgently.
National forum
“A national forum has been established to coordinate the cases in all affected provinces. The focus has been on extortion-related crimes, attempted murder, common robbery, conspiracy to commit murder, incitement to public violence, contempt, and contravention of court orders,” said Zikalala.
He said when these projects are delayed or not delivered on time, this has major implications on meeting the needs and the constitutional rights of citizens.
He added that they have set a new bar ensuring that government projects are planned, executed on time, and implemented within budget.
This is very important because the projects we build, such as this [Durban] high court are used by government departments to deliver services to the citizens. We are satisfied that despite many delays that were experienced by the Durban high court project, it is now progressing very well and is 45% away from completion. We are targeting to get this project completed and handed over to the Department of Justice and Correctional Services by September 2025,” he said.
The provincial government is undertaking 20 projects in various parts of the province.
Zikalala said the state cannot afford to be “weak” and must have ability and capability to address extortion economies from expanding its networks.
“These illegal activities cannot be normalized in our country. No business must be complicit and cave into submission to these criminal acts,” he said without indicating who the culprits were.
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