“Stop negotiating with extortionists,” urges expert

Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA) is urging businesses to stop negotiating with extortionists to paralyse construction mafias.

The mafias have been a headache to construction owners, often hindering the completion of projects, in turn costing the country’s economy around R68 billion annually.

BACSA national project manager, Roelof Viljoen, says giving in to their demands fuels the crime.

According to Viljoen, extortion as a crime requires two factors: the demand for a benefit, such as money, work or a contract, as well as a threat of damage or harm to individuals should the demand not be met.

KwaZulu-Natal is one of the provinces that have been hard-hit by the crime and the newly appointed provincial Public Works MEC, Martin Meyer, has vowed to fight construction mafias head on.

Black business lobby group, the Black Business Federation, has thrown its weight behind him.

Meyer has promised to establish a task team to tackle this crime, which has derailed projects being completed in the province.

He says they will not allow lawlessness and crime to reign supreme.

A report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime revealed that South Africa’s construction mafia originated in KZN in 2014/15.

These criminals make money by demanding a percentage of payment or a security fee from contractors working in the areas in which they operate.

Speaking to the public broadcaster, the KZN MEC for Public Works said the syndicates have had a negative impact on companies wanting to grow in the province.

Below is a list of some of Business Against Crime South Africa’s guidelines to fight corruption:

– If the project is a private project/development, place a notice at the entrance stating that the preferential procurement regulations do not apply.

– If it is a public project, place a notice to advertise that preferential procurement regulations have already been complied with.

– Install CCTV recording equipment if possible. Record any irregular (i.e., not arranged) interaction with a cellphone, if necessary, to capture evidence of a situation that may develop into a crime such as extortion.

Microsoft Word – Extortion Guideline for Business 20220905 (bac.org.za)