Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has revealed that 42 construction projects in Cape Town have been affected by extortion, intimidation and construction-mafia activity over the last five years. Cachalia was responding to parliamentary questions from ActionSA MP Dereleen James, who sought information on the number of construction projects impacted, their rand value, and the number of arrests and convictions made.
According to Cachalia, 12 construction projects in the City of Cape Town were affected by extortion in the past five financial years, while 16 projects were affected by intimidation during the same period. Additionally, 14 construction and/or infrastructure projects were affected by construction-mafia activity. The total rand value of the affected projects is R1.483 billion.
Despite the significant impact of extortion and construction-mafia activity on Cape Town's construction projects, Cachalia reported that no arrests have been made and no convictions have been recorded to date. This is in contrast to national figures, where 73 arrests were made and 56 arrests stemmed from construction site-related cases.
Cachalia had previously provided different figures in May, stating that 44 cases of extortion were investigated nationally over the last three years, with 36 cases linked to syndicates operating at construction sites. He also reported that a National Priority Committee on Extortion has been established to address extortion trends, and a National Extortion Hotline has been set up to encourage reporting of extortion and related crimes.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and detective services have been working to address organised crime, including extortion and cash-in-transit heists. Cachalia stated that the DPCI has prioritised intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling cash-in-transit syndicates, resulting in 72 suspects arrested and 17 accused persons convicted between 2025/2026 and the end of the first quarter of 2026/2027.
The DPCI has also made significant progress in dismantling illegal mining syndicates, arresting 209 suspects and convicting 182 accused persons during the same period. Nineteen syndicates were dismantled, including five juristic persons involved in precious metals, diamonds and illicit mining.
The issue of extortion and construction-mafia activity is a significant concern in South Africa, with Public works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson recently stating that the construction mafia has disrupted more than 180 projects worth nearly R63bn. The problem also extends beyond construction, with foreign-owned spaza shops in Cape Town increasingly being targeted by extortion gangs demanding protection fees.
Key points
- 42 construction projects in Cape Town affected by extortion, intimidation and construction-mafia activity
- R1.483 billion rand value of affected projects
- No arrests or convictions recorded in Cape Town despite significant impact
