Construction mafia: KZN extortion suspects granted R10K bail

Five men arrested in connection to construction mafia-related activities in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have been granted R10 000 bail each and will be released from custody.

The suspects – Andile Jiyane, Elias Phetha, Nhlanhla Makhathini, Sbonelo Khanyile, and Thabani Nkomo – appeared at the Camperdown Magistrate’s Court on Friday for the outcome of their bail applications.

The group was arrested last month for allegedly disrupting construction work at a site in KwaXimba, near Pietermaritzburg.

They are facing charges of extortion after reportedly demanding that no progress be made on the Msunduzi Local Municipality’s bridge project unless they were employed on the construction site.

Construction mafia: Extortion suspects granted bail

During the bail hearing, the state opposed the release of the accused, citing concerns for the safety of witnesses and the need to gather further information on the suspects’ profiles.

However, defence advocate Kevin Chetty, representing all five men, argued that his clients had the right to be released on bail.

Chetty also pointed out that the investigating officer, Sizwe Molapo, failed to provide specific details or justify concerns about potential witness interference.

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On Friday, the Camperdown Magistrate’s Court granted bail, ruling that the accused had successfully demonstrated their eligibility for release in the interests of justice.

As part of their bail conditions, the five men are required to relocate to the alternative addresses provided to the investigating officer.

They must also report to their nearest police station once a week.

The matter will return to court on 25 October.

Police crackdown on extortion

According to the State Investigating Unit (SIU), the construction mafia refers to “extortion groups that typically seek to forcefully extract protection fees from local construction companies and contractors or extort a portion of the cost of an infrastructure project or that specific individuals affiliated with the mafia are recruited to work on the site”.

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has since assured Parliament that authorities were intensifying their crackdown on the construction mafia.

Mchunu highlighted that implementing a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to address the criminal activities of the construction mafia in affected areas.

READ MORE: ‘Sparks will fly’: Mchunu on construction mafia, extortion investigations

He revealed that specialised investigative units have been established within various police departments to tackle extortion.

A total of 722 arrests have been made since 2019 related to acts of extortion in South Africa, including for the disruption of construction sites by the construction mafia.

The arrests resulted in a total of 89 years and seven months imprisonment for the perpetrators of the crimes, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS).