United Front Against Cape Town's Construction Mafia

In a bold move to clamp down on criminal syndicates obstructing progress, Cape Town's construction industry is witnessing a significant uprising against the so-called 'construction mafia'. These malfeasant entities have refined the art of masquerading as legitimate businesses, complete with all the necessary legal paperwork, making it incredibly challenging to unmask their illicit operations.

Atterbury Group's CEO, Louis van der Watt, highlighted the severity of the issue, drawing attention to the impeccably maintained financial and corporate documentation that these mafia-like syndicates possess, which conceals their nefarious activities from conventional detection methods. The announcement underlines a collective determination shared by the City, Atterbury, Old Mutual Properties, and numerous key stakeholders to eradicate this underworld presence from development projects.

Their united stance follows insightful discussions tailored to confront the influence of businesses allegedly connected to Cape Town's gangsters within property development initiatives. These gatherings culminated in an unequivocal commitment to neutralize any future interactions with supposed criminal factions within the sector, as proclaimed in a recent joint statement, openly addressing the challenges and the response thereto.

Enabling this unified counteraction is a strategic collaboration with governmental and regulatory bodies, including the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and local law enforcement, to pinpoint and inveigh against the criminal networks masquerading behind legality. This collaborative approach extends to refining internal processes, with Atterbury spearheading the push for enhanced vetting of subcontractors and the adoption of transparent, ethical business practices.

Equally proactive, Geordin Hill-Lewis, the Mayor of Cape Town, has promised procedural innovations to scrutinize Community Liaison Officers, who are integral to mediating on behalf of local communities in development endeavors. The City has taken additional security measures for public infrastructure projects troubled by extortion, alongside implementing a citywide anti-extortion hotline, offering a beacon of hope for an industry mired in coercion.

Old Mutual praised the City's active engagement in assisting businesses to discern companies with underworld connections. Amplifying the support for these collaborative initiatives, Neil Gopal, CEO of the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA), lauded the shared commitment to disempowering the deleterious grip of the construction mafia, which has persistently impeded the flourishing of property development across our urban landscapes.