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The activities of the so-called construction mafia have, over the past year or so, become an important discussion topic in South Africa. Groups associated with the mafia have disrupted infrastructure development, intimidated communities and workers, demanded protection money, and exploited procurement and supply for their own profit.
The construction mafia, like other such groupings, is driven by criminality in the form of corruption and extortion, among other nefarious motivations. Engineering and construction legal expert Tyron Theessen of Webber Wentzel describes the construction mafia as “a complex brew. It represents a mix of inequality, corruption, criminality, copycat behaviour, inflated expectations, and weak policing, overshadowing legitimate grievances”.
It has been active across South Africa and in various sub-sectors. Theessen adds that the law firm has noted activity “everywhere from remote rural areas to downtown areas of major city centres … everything from road works, the oil and gas sector, building projects, and renewable energy projects. Probably most egregious, we have even seen underprivileged school development works affected”.
There is a ray of light, however, in the form of anti-corruption progress shared recently by the Infrastructure Built Anti-Corruption Forum (IBACF), of which Corruption Watch is a member. The IBACF was launched in 2021 with the aim of detecting and preventing corruption in infrastructure projects, in line with the National Anti-Corruption Strategy. The multi-stakeholder body comprises representatives from civil society, the built environment. and various arms of government, and is chaired by Advocate Andy Mothibi of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
At its quarterly meeting held on 12 December 2023, the IBACF heard that 712 cases referred for investigation have resulted in 722 arrests and 52 convictions so far. The South African Police Service (SAPS) and other law enforcement agencies are working on dismantling the construction mafia and are moving forward slowly but surely.
Disrupting jobs and development
The construction sector is one of South Africa’s most important job-creating sectors, providing opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people – but in the lead-up to 2022, as much as R63-billion worth of projects were delayed or cancelled by elements of the construction mafia which use disruptive and extortionary tactics.
“There are ongoing investigations in the sector by various law enforcement agencies that have led to consequence management such as asset recoveries, disciplinary actions, and criminal prosecutions,” said the SIU in a statement, adding that the IBACF was pleased with the progress so far in action against criminality in the construction sector.
The SIU cited the example of the arrest in September 2023 of alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield and his wife, Nicole Johnson, who are facing numerous charges including murder, theft, assault, fraud, extortion, and intimidation.
“Several Cape Town construction contractors had to abandon government housing construction sites following alleged acts of intimidation and violence. Thereafter, the Western Cape Government’s human settlements department awarded Johnson’s company, Glomix House Brokers, the contracts for completing these abandoned projects.”
The IBACF has encouraged communities to be aware of projects happening in their areas as well as possible opportunities for legitimate sub-contractors and workers, and to report criminal activity such as threats of violence or extortion that may lead to the loss of such projects and work opportunities. The following reporting channels are available:
- Any SAPS station;
- The toll-free National Anti-Corruption Hotline: 0800 701 701;
- The Presidential Hotline: 17737 or president@po.gov.za; or
- The SIU Hotline: 0800 037 774.
