Construction mafia a threat to investment in city - eThekwini Municipality

JOHANNESBURG - The eThekwini Municipality said if the construction mafia was not handled properly, it would scare away investors from the coastal city.

The Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) is hosting the first-ever national construction summit.

The gathering brings together government and the private sector to discuss challenges facing the construction sector.

READ: Safety, construction mafia and security are the major topics at the National Construction Summit

On Tuesday, eThekwini Municipality Speaker Thabani Nyawose said that disruptions at construction sites were a major issue in the city.

"Just yesterday [Monday], our mayor, unveiled the biggest student accommodation project that will cost R800 million with the University of KwaZulu-Natal. We are acutely aware that if we are not proactive in dealing with these people who invade construction sites and disrupt projects, all these investments will not materialise. It is a fact that illegal invasions of construction sites by people demanding extortion discourage investment in the city and the country as a whole."