KZN extortion suspects granted R10K bail

Five men arrested in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in connection with construction mafia activities have each been granted R10,000 bail and will be released.

The suspects – Andile Jiyane, Elias Phetha, Nhlanhla Makhathini, Sbonelo Khanyile and Thabani Nkomo – appeared at Camperdown Magistrates Court on Friday to discuss the outcome of their bail applications.

The group was arrested last month for allegedly disrupting construction work at a building site in KwaXimba, near Pietermaritzburg.

They are accused of extortion after allegedly demanding that no progress be made on the Msunduzi Local Municipality bridge project unless they worked on the construction site.

Construction mafia: Extortion suspects get bail

During the bail hearing, the state opposed the release of the defendants, citing concerns about witness safety and the need for more information about the defendants’ profiles.

However, lawyer Kevin Chetty, who represented all five men, argued that his clients were entitled to bail.

Chetty also pointed out that the investigating officer, Sizwe Molapo, did not provide specific details or justify his concerns about possible witness interference.

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On Friday, Camperdown Magistrates Court granted bail, finding that the defendants had successfully demonstrated that they were eligible for release in the interests of justice.

As part of their bail conditions, the five men must move to alternative addresses given to the investigating officer.

They must also report to the nearest police station once a week.

The case will return to court on October 25.

Police take tough action against extortion

According to the State Investigation Unit (SIU), construction mafia refers to “extortion groups that typically attempt to forcibly collect protection fees from local construction companies and contractors or extort a share of the costs of an infrastructure project, or recruit specific individuals linked to the mafia to work on the construction site.”

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has since assured parliament that authorities are stepping up their crackdown on the construction mafia.

Mchunu stressed that a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach is needed to tackle the criminal activities of the construction mafia in the affected areas.

READ MORE: ‘Sparks will fly’: Mchunu on construction mafia, extortion investigations

He revealed that specialized investigation units have been set up within various police departments to tackle extortion.

Since 2019, a total of 722 people have been arrested in South Africa in connection with extortion, including for disrupting construction sites by the construction mafia.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the arrests resulted in a total of 89 years and seven months in prison for the perpetrators of the crimes.