KZN MEC welcomes arrest of suspects allegedly involved in Sydenham extortion shooting

Martin Meyer, MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal, says the tide is turning against extortion crime.

His comments follow the arrest of four men after the shooting in Sydenham on Wednesday.

Police said the men went to a building site on O’Flaherty Road in Sydenham, where they demanded money from the owner of the construction company.

“While the suspects were harassing the construction workers and demanding money, a security company was called to the construction site. An argument broke out, which escalated into a shootout in which four suspected extortionists were injured.

“The four suspects were arrested for extortion and cases were also opened for attempted murder. Four licensed firearms were found in the suspects’ possession and their two vehicles were also seized,” said provincial police spokesman Colonel Robert Netshiunda.

He added that the men, aged between 38 and 48, were taken to hospital under police guard and will appear in court after their discharge.

According to sources, the men tried to extort R60,000 from the owner of the construction company.

Meyer said KZN has become a concentration centre for such crimes. Recently we saw another group appear in court for a recent disturbance at a location in Msunduzi.

“While the rule of innocence until proven guilty still applies, it must also be made clear that the tide is turning against such crimes targeting construction sites. It is also encouraging to see that strict measures are being taken by those appointed to enforce the law and safety,” the MEC said.

Meyer said he is confident the upcoming two-day conference on construction-related crime is of the utmost importance.

According to him, such meetings can help find sustainable, tangible solutions to these problems.

“Ending the construction mafia remains the top priority for the KZN Department of Works and Infrastructure under the Provincial Unity Government,” said Meyer.

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