Crackdown on construction mafia yields massive arrests – MacPherson

PROGRESS: Police reported hundreds of arrests and convictions nationwide, and in KwaZulu-Natal, disruptions dropped from over 60 incidents per month to fewer than 10, according to Minister…

By  Own Correspondent

More than 770 cases of construction-related extortion and intimidation have been reported, with 241 arrests and 176 convictions since last year, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Deon MacPherson said today.

Attending the two-day 2025 Summit yesterday, MacPherson told the media that, in KwaZulu-Natal, disruptions had dropped from over 60 incidents per month to fewer than 10, demonstrating the effectiveness of coordinated action between law enforcement, business, and public entities.

The annual gathering, underway in Boksburg since yesterday and ending today, is hosted by the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb), in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI).

Chairperson of the cidb, Khulile Nzo, revealed that 40 contractors had been deregistered for colluding with some cidb employees to obtain inflated gradings.

“There are too many incomplete projects. Contractors have unfortunately colluded with individuals in the cidb to receive a grading that does not reflect their true competency. We need to be strict,” Nzo said.

Meanwhile, Macpherson has hailed this week’s National Construction Summit as a “historic” milestone, saying it reaffirmed the government’s commitment to rebuilding South Africa’s construction industry through regulatory reforms, improved project delivery, and stronger accountability.

Held under the theme: “Unlocking Infrastructure Delivery: Raising Construction Industry Performance”, the summit brings together leaders from government, business, labour and civil society to chart ways to improve infrastructure efficiency and industry performance.

Addressing the media, Macpherson said the summit offered a crucial platform for the public and private sectors to evaluate progress, identify needed changes, and accelerate infrastructure delivery.

He reiterated that the government remained focused on delivering infrastructure “faster, smarter and more affordably”, guided by the Construction Action Plan and strengthened new measures, such as an enhanced social facilitation framework.

Macpherson welcomed new labour market data showing that the construction sector accounted for more than half of all new jobs created in the third quarter, demonstrating the sector’s powerful potential to drive economic growth and reduce unemployment.

“The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey confirms what we have observed on the ground. In the third quarter of this year, 130 000 new jobs were created in construction –over 50% of all new jobs in the economy during that period.

“Since the inaugural summit in Durban last year, when we committed to addressing construction site stoppages to reignite the industry, we have begun to see the green shoots of growth taking root,” the Minister said.

The Minister also reported significant progress in tackling construction site disruptions and extortion, commonly referred to as the construction mafia.

“Since the Durban Declaration signed last year, over 770 cases of construction-related extortion and intimidation have been reported, with 241 arrests and 176 convictions. In KwaZulu-Natal, disruptions have dropped from over 60 incidents per month to fewer than 10, demonstrating the effectiveness of coordinated action between law enforcement, business, and public entities,” Macpherson said.

Speaking on the last day of the summit on Friday, Public Works and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reforming the construction sector, rooting out corruption and ensuring timely payment of contractors.

The Deputy Minister highlighted key government initiatives aimed at strengthening infrastructure delivery, including:

•    Reconfiguration of the Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) to operate four bid windows annually.

•    Launch of a R15 billion infrastructure bond to provide dedicated, affordable financing for projects.

•    Establishment of the Infrastructure Finance and Implementation Support Agency by March 2026 to support project preparation and delivery.

•    Introduction of guidelines on unsolicited bids to accelerate project implementation.

“These measures reflect government’s commitment to enhancing performance, accountability, and inclusive growth within South Africa’s construction sector,” Zikalala said.

DPWI Director-General Sifiso Mdakwe emphasised that a high-performing construction industry ensures that projects are completed on time, within budget and according to specification, where all people associated with the project operate in a safe environment and work in dignity.

“The need for an independent body to oversee and coordinate engineering activities and infrastructure development is becoming more pressing as South Africa grapples with challenges related to urbanisation, climate change, technological advancements, economic growth, and economic transformation.

“The Office of the Engineer General (EG) is envisaged to provide the leadership required to bridge gaps in regulation, ensure compliance with engineering standards, and oversee large-scale engineering projects that are critical to South Africa’s economic growth,” Mdakane said. – SAnews.gov.za