Police Minister Bheki Cele has reiterated law enforcement’s commitment to deal with the construction mafia which has cost the economy in excess of R68 billion, saying over 60 people, including alleged kingpins, had been arrested to date.
Cele made the remarks during the release of the crime statistics on Friday morning. He said since April last year, a total of 61 people linked to these alleged extortions were arrested.
“Since 2019, 27 accused were convicted for a collective 43 years direct imprisonment,” said Cele.
He said the most recent operation was the arrest of 12 suspects during a take-down operation in Toekomsrus in Randfontein.
“A group calling themselves Toekomsrus Business Forum attempted to disrupt a R320 million housing project demanding a 30 % stake in the project, the police swift response led to the arrest of these twelve suspects with two firearms confiscated.”
Cele said in the Western Cape significant progress has been made in dismantling and taking down those behind the 30% construction mafia grouping where projects were delayed as a result of acts of criminality.
“Amongst the many arrested include the kingpins which include Ralph Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson and three others.”
Cele said alleged underworld kingpin Nafiz Modack and 17 others are currently in police custdy for various crimes including murder, and extortion.
“Three have already been sentenced.”
Cele said Modack, the alleged leader of the Terrible Westsiders gang has been charged with the murder of Lieutenant Colonel Kinnear.
“He also is charged with the attempted murder of attorney William Booth and the father of a Hawks investigator.”
Citing another case Cele said Yanga Nyalara commonly known as Bara is also in custody along with five others for extortion related mass murders involving twenty four bodies that were found in the greater Khayelitsha Precinct.
In October, President Cyril Ramaphosa Ramaphosa set up 20 task teams to go after illegal miners, the construction Mafia and those who are stripping the country of essential infrastructure.
IOL News