The Master Builders Association Western Cape (MBAWC) is taking the fight against extortion in the construction sector to the feared mafia syndicates.
The mafias have been interfering with legitimate building industry stakeholders across South Africa, with the Western Cape not being spared the scourge of deadly extortion and intimidation by sophisticated crime syndicates who prey relentlessly on contractors for personal gain.
According to MBAWC, at least six substantial projects valued at more than R400-million were halted in the Western Cape last year due to syndicate activity.
MBAWC also stated that the province had 22 cases in which construction mafia are being investigated by police, among the country’s 200 extortion litigations.
MBAWC executive director Petra Devereux said his organisation had participated in various forums where numerous insights were gathered into a collective. “A common recommendation is that affected parties should engage in preventative measures and with communities, visible policing at the police station nearest the site and SAPS sector commanders prior to projects being undertaken.
“Aside from companies knowing their rights, where possible, they should install cameras to monitor sites. Should site invasions occur, these measures would enable them to collect vehicle registration numbers and perpetrators’ identities so that action can be taken against invaders either through interdicts or police interventions.”
Managing director of the International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO)in South Africa Muhammad Ali explained that ISO 37001’s anti-bribery management system assures stakeholders that an organisation has taken suitable measures to prevent bribery.
“Businesses will also be able to implement measures to reduce the bribery risk. These measures detect the risk before it negatively impacts the business.
“The system includes a zero-tolerance policy, which the company ensures through effective consequence management. The company works alongside law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to publicly demonstrate the consequences of breaking the law,” said Ali.
Government contracts stipulate that 30% of spending on public infrastructure projects and procurements worth more than R30-million should go to local community subcontractors, however, criminal syndicates are exploiting this stipulation.
The MBAWC is urging a proactive rather than reactive approach to the syndicates and it will host a security summit on February 20 in Cape Town to further empower affected role players, together with industry partners.
Devereux said contractors who are intimidated or threatened do not have to report cases to the police station in the precinct where the specific incident occurred but are within their rights to lodge complaints at stations in other areas if they feel unsafe.
She also emphasises that industry collaboration is essential to eradicating criminal elements.
“We need to work together with organisations like Business Against Crime, professional industry bodies and the government. We need to be informed, know who to call and stand in unity. We must send out a powerful message to these criminals that we will not tolerate them as we rebuild our country.”
Last year Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson signed a historic partnership agreement at the National Construction Summit on Crime-Free Construction in Durban.
Macpherson also committed to bringing to an end collusion within state departments that, together with internal efficiencies and corruption, contribute to contractors not being paid on time.
President Cyril Ramaphosa told the Black Business Federation during an ANC stakeholders engagement event in Durban in November last year that a police unit had already been established to deal with those who are disrupting government construction sites.
