The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Premier Mandla Ndlovu to declare the Mpumalanga Construction Mafias as a Provincial Disaster. This call comes after the Provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport (PWRT) publicly admitted this week that they need help from the South African Police Services, communities, and the courts as they are losing the fight against Construction Mafias.
This week, the office of PWRT MEC, Thulasizwe Thomo, released a statement mentioning that they are calling upon the SAPS to help them enforce an existing Court Order against the construction mafias who have delayed projects in the province. These are the construction mafias who are currently controlling all major construction projects in Mpumalanga and setting back taxpayers millions of rands.
The groups have allegedly infiltrated legitimate construction companies that are working on major infrastructure projects in the province – using tactics like violence, intimidation, protection fees, and extortion to gain projects. According to other reports, these groups usually refer to themselves as Business Forums, and they demand up to 30% payment from all construction projects that are taking place in the province.
As it stands, there are many construction projects in Mpumalanga that have been delayed for years by these construction mafias, but notable ones are the following:
- The Mkhondo Boarding School: construction started in 2018, and it was supposed to be an 18-month project at an estimated cost of R200 million. Because of the construction mafias, the PWRT only completed the project this year at nearly R1 billion. This is equivalent to the R1.05 billion that was spent on the construction of the 45 000-seater Mbombela Stadium.
- Mapulaneng Hospital in Bushbuckridge: Construction of this hospital, which was conceptualized in 2015, started in 2017. On inception, it was stated that PWRT would be spending R2.5 billion overall on the project which was envisaged to be completed by June 2025. Currently, over R3 billion has been spent on construction, and according to a PWRT report which has been submitted to the Portfolio Committee on Public Works, the project is only at 78%, due to the construction mafias.
- The Mpumalanga Parliamentary Village: This project was envisaged as far back as 2013 with the aim of curbing government expenses, began construction in November 2017, and had an estimated completion date of April 2020. On its inception, it was stated that the PWRT would be spending R300 million to construct the Parliamentary Village. This figure has now been revised to be nearly R1 billion, and the project is not yet complete because of ongoing disruptions, intimidation, and unlawful closure as stated by the statement released this week by PWRT.
The Mpumalanga Provincial Government must not allow themselves to be taken to ransom. Criminal elements in this sector must not be given an option to negotiate terms with the state. The DA believes that the provincial government needs to declare these construction mafias as a Provincial Disaster that needs all necessary resources to defeat.
The actions of these construction mafias meet all the thresholds of a disaster to be declared. They are causing disruptions to lives of communities, they have caused injuries and death to construction workers, and they have caused damage to property and infrastructure. They also operate in all three districts of the Mpumalanga Province, and all 17 local municipalities. These are all thresholds of a disaster, according to the Disaster Management Act no 57 of 2002.
The DA believes that Premier Mandla Ndlovu must urgently act by declaring these construction mafias as a Provincial Disaster. Their actions are not only a threat to the constitution and the laws that govern Mpumalanga Province, but of the laws that govern the rest of South Africa.