| 2024/11/19 |
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Good morning to the: Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Mr Dean Macpherson, Premier of KwaZulu – Natal, Mr Thami Ntuli, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Mr Sihle Zikalala, Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Sarupen, Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Cassel Mathale, Ethekwini Metro Mayor, Cllr Cyril Xaba, MECs present, Mr Khulile Nzo, Chairperson of the Construction Industry Development Board Professor Susan Bouillon, Deputy Chairperson of the Construction Industry Development Board, Board members present, Members of the construction industry, Representatives from law enforcement, All valued stakeholders, Members of the media, It is an honour to address you this morning, at this all important Summit. I stand here today to make a firm commitment on behalf of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to address one of the most pressing challenges we face in the construction sector: the need for crime-free construction sites – it is a commitment I believe all of need to make. We are gathered here with a shared purpose—to create a safer environment for this vital industry, which plays an irreplaceable role in driving economic development, infrastructure development, and job creation. It is a choice between the South Africa we want – one where there is stability and order or chaos and disorder. The construction sector is fundamental to our country’s development. However, it has increasingly been targeted by organised crime syndicates and extortion rackets that threaten not only individual projects but also the safety and stability of entire communities. The incidents of threats, intimidation, and violent disruption have become an unacceptable impediment to progress – all unlawful and driven by greed. This is a reality we cannot ignore, and it is why the South African Police Service has taken significant strides to address these criminal elements directly. Four provinces—KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape—have the highest rates of all crime, including rape, murder, GBV, and extortion. These provinces also have the most documented instances of criminal syndicates impeding project construction or execution.
For a more comprehensive knowledge and appreciation, it is crucial to package crimes on construction sites with other crimes that we are combatting, such as extortion, illicit guns, drug trafficking, mass transit crimes, critical infrastructure, and other economic crimes. If I could share just one success story: at the George Mukhari Hospital in Garankuwa, Gauteng, there is a project underway – building of an Oncology Unit. Now, a group of alleged community members stopped the site, assaulted site manager, damaged the property, stopped delivery trucks from delivering. A case was opened on the 9th of November 2024, with charges listed as assault, intimidation and extortion and trespassing. A strategic operation was conducted yesterday and as a result, three male adults were arrested. We are not going to spend a long time condemning and lamenting on this; we are rather inviting our brothers and sisters who are on the wrong side, to join us in constructing a South Africa we want. We are encouraging responsible departments and companies on construction sites to promptly report and open cases whenever they come across incidents of this nature. I want to emphasise this point: cases can be opened at any police station. If progress is slow, cases must be escalated up to Provincial Commissioners. We ourselves as the Ministry have a dedicated Warrant Officer who follows up on identified cases – where progress is reportedly slow. While a significant number of calls were made to the National Extortion Hotline, only a few of these were genuine reports – we urge the public to make use of this hotline. There are a number of measures we are implementing internally: we are reviewing the departmental structure, with a stern focus on improving efficiencies and capacity. Crime Intelligence plays a critical role in identifying emerging threats, gathering intelligence, and locating suspects linked to these syndicates. Our Organised Crime unit will be crucial in ensuring that these activities are carried out. In addition to specialised investigative teams, visible policing combat units have been deployed to hotspot areas for patrols and crime prevention to stabilise the situation and address the violence associated with these syndicates. At the end of the day, crimes on construction sites fall under organised crime and there is capacity in the department to deal with organised crime. In addition to this, we have the DPCI. In the past few years, we have noticed that this kind of crime is often accompanied by intimidation, targeted murder and in some cases, it involves officials colluding with gangs in a situation that could be described as “state capture” in the form of criminal gangs capturing officials, including those in supply chain. This is where the DPCI comes in – when seemingly complex situations are identified. Well, as a department, we are gearing up to deal with beneficiaries of crime that are in the upper levels – not just those who fire bullets on site but those who issue these orders and instructions. While we have made significant strides, we recognise that the SAPS cannot tackle this challenge alone. The construction sector is complex, and the crime issues we face here demand a multifaceted approach. To this end, SAPS partners with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including State-Owned Entities (SOEs) such as Eskom, Telkom, Transnet, and Gautrain, as well as government departments like the NPA and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI). The collaboration also extends to private sector partners, including Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA) and the South African Revenue Protection Association (SARPA). Through these partnerships, SAPS fosters a strong working relationship, ensuring constant monitoring and alignment of strategies to maintain operational focus. In closing, let me reaffirm our commitment: The South African Police Service stands ready to do whatever it takes to protect our construction sector from criminal activity. We are determined to see construction sites across our nation become safe spaces where workers can operate without fear, where projects proceed uninterrupted, and where communities can benefit from the development we so urgently need. Thank you for your partnership, your dedication, and your resolve. |
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