More than 770 cases of construction-related extortion have been reported, says Macpherson

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson, during a media briefing at the GCIS Imbizo Centre in Parliament, Cape Town, on Tuesday afternoon.

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, said there have been more than 770 cases of construction-related extortion and intimidation reported across the country, while briefing the media on Cabinet’s approval last week of the Integrated Social Facilitation Framework (ISFF).

“Today, we announce Cabinet’s approval last week of the Integrated Social Facilitation Framework as a binding national policy instrument - a major step in moving from policy development to formal government implementation.

“Since the Durban Declaration, our work has shifted from establishing coordination mechanisms to making sure those mechanisms are used effectively across the sector. It is the next phase in our fight against the construction mafia,” Macpherson said.

The intent of the declaration, signed in 2024, was to outline a collective commitment to eradicate extortion and violence on construction sites and to initiate mechanisms to urgently and immediately give effect to that commitment.