South Africa: Minister calls for emergency meeting to tackle construction mafia challenge

Posted on by Vaseline

Minister of Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson and KwaZulu-Natal MEC of Works and Infrastructure Martin Meyer have announced plans for an emergency meeting to formulate a decisive response to the challenge of the construction mafia across the country.

Minister Macpherson said in a statement that they have collectively decided that an emergency meeting should be held in KwaZulu-Natal with all MECs in all provinces and the ministers of the Law Enforcement cluster.

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 tackle the construction mafia head-on 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 indicated that it is therefore imperative to convene a meeting with the Public Works MECs across the country and 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.”