SAPS establishes 20 task teams to combat construction mafia

The task teams have arrested 4,000 suspects since their establishment in June 2022.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced establishment of 20 task teams to combat the construction mafia in the country.

Ramaphosa was responding to the Democratic Alliance’s Timothy Brauteseth, who had asked for an update on the special units to combat the construction mafia that the president promised during his 2020 State of the Nation Address.

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Of the 20 task teams, 18 were established at the district level, while two were at the provincial level, he said.

“A total of 946 personnel have been allocated to the 20 Economic Infrastructure Task Teams from existing structures within each province, district and station. They are experienced and knowledgeable personnel within their respective functional environments,” said Ramaphosa.

“The Task Teams integrate processes, resources and intelligence across all of the operational environments of the SAPS under a single command. This enables them to successfully combat essential infrastructure crimes, illicit mining and extortion within the construction sector.”

The task teams have incorporated personnel from SAPS divisions such as Crime Intelligence, Visible Policing and Operations, and Detective and Forensic Services, and the Hawks.

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They also work with other role-players on an ad hoc basis, including the National Prosecuting Authority, Financial Intelligence Centre, relevant government departments, National Intelligence Coordinating Committee, South African Revenue Service, and state-owned entities such as Transnet, Prasa and Eskom.

An operational budget of R20 million was ring-fenced and allocated for implementing the Economic Infrastructure Task Teams during the 2022/2023 financial year and a further R17 million for the 2023/2024 financial year, said Ramaphosa.

Construction mafia arrests

According to Ramaphosa, the task teams have arrested 4,000 suspects since their establishment in June 2022 for damaging essential and critical infrastructure.

Seventy more suspects were arrested for extortion at construction sites, while over 3,000 were arrested for illegal mining.

They have also confiscated large quantities of copper cable, rail tracks and other metals.

“The sabotage of our infrastructure and our economy continues to pose a great threat to the country’s development,” said Ramaphosa.

“However, through the work of the Economic Infrastructure Task Teams, together with partners in the state and the private sector, we are making progress in combating these crimes.”

‘National priority crime’

In July, the DA called for the construction mafia to be declared a national priority crime, revealing they caused a delay in the completion of a project at Durban’s Menzi High School.

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“For a period of two years, they halted progress on the project due to their insistence on receiving a share of the benefits,” said the party.

“The construction mafia consists of various groups that engage in crimes aimed at sabotaging the economy, particularly in the construction industry.

“Their actions have reached a level where they pose a significant threat to economic stability and investment.

“These mafia groups have grown more audacious and confident in their sabotage tactics because they have been able to avoid punishment for an extended period.”

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