Civil Engineering June 2022 | Vol 30 No 5

Civil Engineering June 2022 61 Collaboration must prevent mafia derailing SA’s recovery T here is some relief in civil engi- neering circles that the damage wrought by the country’s construc- tion mafia is at last being publicly recog- nised and addressed. Its impact strikes deep into South Africa’s future potential, and much work is still to be done in eradi- cating this dangerous threat. According to Lindie Fourie, operations manager at the Bargaining Council for the Civil Engineering Industry (BCCEI), the ongoing power of this mafia must be met by a collaborative front of key role players. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent an- nouncement that a special police unit will be set up raises hopes that the matter is finally receiving top level attention. “This is encouraging, and we trust that this will give the police added capacity to focus on the criminality which is under- mining important infrastructure work for South Africa’s economic recovery,” says Fourie. Contractors have reported that local po- lice often do not intervene when criminals arrive on construction sites to threaten staff, disrupt operations or destroy equipment. Often staying in the same communities as the criminals, police appear to be vulnerable to intimidation and victimisation by these gangs, who are said to directly threaten police members and their families. Fourie says the situation on the ground can become like a war zone, which clearly traumatises young engineers and employees on construction sites, contrib- uting to a skills-flight to other countries. LOSING SKILLS “The impact of mafia activity has repercus- sions well beyond the individual projects being threatened. Among the results is that the country loses crucial people and skills. These young graduates are schooled and trained here at great expense, but are lost through emigration when they can’t take this violence anymore. South Africa simply cannot afford that,” says Fourie. “This not only erodes our ability to improve the lives of citizens through better infrastructure, but it discourages bright young graduates from even considering a future in the civil engineering industry. Without enough of the right technical skills, our industry cannot be expected to deliver what society expects – nor can it create the jobs that the country so desperately needs.” TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT The civil engineering industry is a leading employment creator and adds considerable value to the skills and opportunities of those workers who join construction teams. “Contractors also play a vital trans- formative role in South African society. In line with the contractual requirements of leading clients, contractors employ and empower local residents in often remote areas,” says Fourie Wherever possible, they apply specified contract participation goals, facilitating engagement and upliftment of local com- munities, suppliers and small enterprises. “The spin-off benefits are consider- able, especially in the more rural areas and smaller towns where there is little other industry at work. Roll out of projects can therefore kick-start economic activity by imparting practical skills and creating opportunities – which can endure even after the project in question is complete.” However, these positive impacts disap- pear quickly when rogue elements are allowed to subvert the carefully planned transformation agenda. Using threats and extortion, they syphon value from projects and divert scarce resources away from the intended beneficiaries and into criminal enterprises. This kind of disruption also comes at a time when much of the construc- tion sector is on its knees, explains Fourie. “After years of under-investment in infrastructure, contractors are bidding for work on thin margins with no room for error – just to survive and keep their people employed. Where projects are disrupted and delayed, this is enough to push companies into loss-making positions. Their employees’ job security, along with the sustainability of the whole business, is put at risk.” Needless to say, the position of small emerging contractors and subcontractors – which the construction sector and govern- ment are trying to promote – is even more vulnerable to intimidation. Budgets are under pressure, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, and criminal gangs derailing projects can, and does, have an enormously negative impact on budgets for infrastructure investment. EFFECTIVE RESPONSE “It is clear that no single role player in this situation has the capacity to respond effectively to the dire threat that the con- struction mafia presents. The police are key to the solution, of course, but will need the support of other stakeholders,” Fourie adds. The BCCEI is committed to a col- laboration strategy and has developed a practical plan of action that can guide its particular input into the process. As a statutory body under the Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995), the BCCEI’s mandate is to foster stable and productive employment relations in the civil engineering industry. “We believe that we have a valuable contribution to make in helping find solu- tions. It will need a concerted and collabo- rative effort, including government at local, provincial and national level and this in- cludes Treasury, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, SAPS and the Department of Employment and Labour – as well as employers and employees in the sector. In addition, stakeholders such as community and traditional leaders as well as security firms have an important role to play in supporting contractors, particularly the smaller ones, in addressing these chal- lenges,” says Fourie Among the concepts that the BCCEI is developing is a network of stakeholders around the country, that can deploy their local capacity in the event of mafia activity on a specific site. However, as important as it is to respond decisively, it is equally vital to find ways to avoid such incidents in the first place.  Lindie Fourie, operations manager at the BCCEI