Construction Mafia | Western Cape loses 125 housing opportunities

JOHANNESBURG - The Western Cape is struggling to fend off the so-called Construction Mafia.

It says it has lost around 125 housing opportunities and has lost R160 million.

Infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers told the legislature land grabs remain a major concern.

READ: COMBATTING CONSTRUCTION MAFIA | KZN PUBLIC WORKS MEC WANTS TO NEGOTIATE

"We have seen various parts of land post-Covid-19 also being land grabbed with possibilities of what is called shack farming where informal structures are erected and rented out happening in certain areas in the City of Cape Town and it has become a massive problem given the far-reaching service delivery implications," he said.

Tertuis says the province has a comprehensive plan to help combat the construction mafia problem.

"We do have a comprehensive plan and it also incorporates key stakeholders including local government, our ward councillors, our project steering committees across our various projects across the province but also our neighbourhood watches, it is an all-encompassing plan which we do have."