Minister Macpherson plans to tackle mafia and infrastructure issues

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, says his department is working closely with various communities to deal decisively with the so-called construction mafias. Macpherson says these are organized groups that extort money from construction companies.

They are targeting construction companies that are awarded tenders to do infrastructure work by government. He says a number of arrests have been made.

Macpherson was speaking on the sidelines of the Inaugural Public Works Infrastructure Summit in Johannesburg.

“Just a few days ago, on Friday, we announced that 240 people have been arrested in relation with these crimes, and we are stepping up there. At the end of the day, it is these communities that are being affected by the acts of these gangsters. So, we must do what we can to put a stop to them. Also, institutionalizing a social facilitation framework so that we have a common approach to dealing with communities making sure that they own these infrastructure projects and they protect them as well.”

Solving infrastructure problems

The Minister also says his department has implemented ways to solve infrastructure problems at the local government level. He says the real infrastructure problems and crises reside in local government.

Macpherson says they’re working with the private sector.

“Some of the priority projects have to focus on water. We have a water crisis in the country. We are also focusing in partnering in the energy sector. And we are also looking forward to being involved in the transmission roll out. Kilometres of a single largest infrastructure project of R360 billion. And that will be entirely funded by the private sector. We are also looking at other issues related to bridges. Roads, railways, ports expansions. All of those economic infrastructure projects that can really get the country going. That is what we need to focus on, we have a lot of roads problems.”