Macpherson to develop action plan against construction mafia with MECs

Dean Macpherson, Minister of Works and Infrastructure, and Martin Meyer, MEC of Works and Infrastructure for KwaZulu-Natal, have called for an emergency meeting to develop a decisive response strategy to tackle the construction mafia challenge across the country.

In a statement, Minister Macpherson said they had collectively agreed that an emergency meeting was needed in each province, with all the respective MECs and the ministers in the Law Enforcement cluster. MacPherson and Meyer indicated that this should be held in KwaZulu-Natal.

The decision follows a meeting between Macpherson and Meyer, at which Meyer presented a report describing the revival of mafia activities in the construction sector in KwaZulu-Natal.

“Shortly after I was appointed Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, I promised to take a decisive approach to the construction mafia and restore the rule of law on construction sites across the country.

“During a recent oversight visit to the uMkhomazi water project, I learned how an altercation with the construction mafia led to the death of three people and the attack on another. This is simply unacceptable. We will never be able to attract additional infrastructure investment and turn the country into a construction site as long as this lawlessness continues,” Macpherson said.

The Minister stated that it is crucial to convene the meeting with the Public Works MECs across the country, together with the Law Enforcement Cluster Ministers, to develop a comprehensive plan to turn the tide against the construction mafia “to not only attract additional investment in infrastructure but also protect the lives of our people.”

In addition to tackling the construction mafia, Macpherson and Meyer also discussed the possible reform of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), to ensure that its recipients benefit and that it contributes to employment.

The two further explored how national and provincial governments could work together to expand infrastructure development in KwaZulu-Natal.

“KwaZulu-Natal is a province with enormous potential and I look forward to working closely with the MEC to unlock economic growth and employment in the province,” he said.

The minister added that he will meet with MECs and mayors in other provinces in the coming week to determine how they can work together to improve the lives of South Africans.

“Only by working together towards a common vision can we unlock South Africa’s potential. Let’s build South Africa,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Reaction Task Team, set up to crack down on mafia-related construction activities, has arrested five suspects for intimidation and disruption of infrastructure. The five were arrested in uMsunduzi on Saturday 24 August.

Police responded to reports of a group of people disrupting activities at a bridge construction site in uMsunduzi. Upon arrival at the scene, police arrested the five suspects and charged them with intimidation and disrupting a construction site.