Durban - Minister of Public Works Sihle Zikalala said the Durban High Court redevelopment and renovation project was now standing at 45% complete.
The minister was speaking during a monitoring visit to construction sites in Durban. The department started the Durban High Court project in May 2021, and it is expected to be completed in September 2025.
“Having toured this facility we are satisfied that despite the many delays it has experienced, it is now progressing very well. The project is now standing at 45% towards completion. We are targeting to get this project completed and handed over to the Department of Justice and Correctional Services by September 2025,” said Zikalala.
The minister said the project was part of 20 projects it was undertaking on behalf of the government in KwaZulu-Natal. It encountered some delays in February last year.
“This was a result of illegal occupation and the hijacking of this site by criminals and gangs that are extorting money from construction sites, known as the ‘construction mafia’. As you can see the site is now under heavy security protection, and this means that unbudgeted costs are now being incurred which must be sourced to provide the space for this project to be completed,” the minister said.
Zikalala said the government was committed to supporting businesspeople who want to get involved in the built environment sector and do business.
“Those who want to benefit from the construction value chain as businesspeople will be supported, and we are even enforcing that through regulations. However, certain individuals branding themselves either as gangs or non-gangs are using mafia-style tactics to hijack construction sites, demanding contracts from contractors and sub-contractors on major infrastructure projects,” he said.
He said this was negatively affecting the implementation of construction projects and the economic growth of the country. The minister condemned these acts, adding that the government through the Ministry of Police had tasked the Organised Crime Investigations Detective Services as well as the Serious Organised Crime within the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) to look into this matter urgently.
He said a national forum had been established to co-ordinate the cases in all affected provinces with a focus on extortion-related crimes, attempted murder, common robbery, conspiracy to commit murder, incitement to public violence, contempt and contravention of court orders.
According to the reports received from the police, Zikalala said a total of 682 cases were being investigated by the Organised Crime Investigations, Detective Services.
- Extortion Cases are 132
- Extortion-related cases are 550
- To date the police have made
He said the disruption and blockages of construction sites cost the economy more than R68 billion before the pandemic in 186 projects.
“We welcome this progress as it will send a clear message that criminality will not be tolerated,” said Zikalala.
The minister said no business must be complicit and submit to these criminal acts.
“The police will continue to act decisively. All members of the community must oppose this disruption and extortion culture. Let us all build a united front against extortion and encourage support and ethical business alternatives for those who want to benefit from the built environment sector,” he said.