42 Cape Town construction projects hit by extortion and ‘construction mafia’ activity - IOL

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia.

At least 42 construction projects faced extortion, intimidation and construction-mafia activity in Cape Town over the last five years. 

This is according to Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia when he was responding to parliamentary questions from ActionSA MP Dereleen James.

James has asked about the total number of construction projects that have been affected by extortion, intimidation and construction-mafia activity in the City of Cape Town in the past five financial years.

She also wanted to know the rand value of the affected projects as well as the number of arrests made and convictions arising from the arrests.

In his response, Cachalia said 12 construction projects in the City of Cape Town were affected by extortion in the past five financial years.

He also said a further 16 construction projects were affected by intimidation during the same period.

 “Fourteen construction and/or infrastructure projects in the City of Cape Town were affected by construction-mafia activity in the past five financial years.

Cachalia put the total rand value of the affected projects at R1.483 billion.

However, neither arrests nor convictions have been in Cape Town made to date.

“No arrests have been made. No arrests have resulted in convictions,” according to the response.

The figures provided by Cachalia were in contrast to those he provided in May earlier this year in connection with extortion syndicates operating at construction sites, schools, transport routes and municipal projects that were reported nationally over the last three years.

He had not provided a breakdown of arrests by province other than the categories of projects that were targeted by extortionist.

He had stated that 44 cases were investigated, with 36 cases linked to syndicates operating at construction sites, one at schools, six on transport routes and one involving municipal projects.

The minister has indicated that 73 arrests were made and 56 arrests stemmed from construction site-related cases while six were linked to municipal project cases, eight transport route incidents and three were linked to school-linked extortion activities.

Responding to a separate question from MK Party MP Mariam Be Be Muhammad,on measurable progress SAPS has made in dismantling extortion, cash in-transit heists and illegal mining syndicates, Cachalia said the police has two investigative capabilities with different mandates to deal with organised crime.

These were the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and the detective services.

He said a National Priority Committee on Extortion has been established to address extortion trends.

The minister further said a National Extortion Hotline has been established to enhance and encourage the reporting of extortion and related crimes, supplemented by Provincial Extortion hotlines in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape.

“Extortion cases at construction sites are dealt with by Organised Crime Investigations within Detective Services, with dedicated prosecutors in each province ensuring that cases receive the necessary attention and that investigations are prosecutorial-guided.”

Cachalia stated that the DPCI continued to prioritise intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling cash-in-transit  syndicates. 

“A total of 72 suspects were arrested, and 17 accused persons were convicted,” he said, referring to the period between 2025/2026 and the end of the first quarter of 2026/2027.

Cachalia also said the DPCI dismantled 19 syndicates and arrested 209 suspects, with 182 accused persons convicted in relation to illegal mining during the same period.

“The 19 syndicates dismantled included five juristic persons involved in precious metals, diamonds and illicit mining. A preservation order was further granted over immovable property valued at R1,25 million and a supermarket valued at R250,000, the latter being subject to a notice of motion on the basis that it constitutes proceeds of unlawful activity. This included 15 vehicles valued at approximately R1 million.”