South Africa’s water sector faces many challenges, yet with recent unblocking of projects, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) hopes to accelerate the recovery and improvement of the country’s water ecosystem.

However, some projects might not see the light of day owing to the so-called construction mafia, warned Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo on Monday.

He did not highlight any specific projects that are being affected, but the DWS is currently undertaking hundreds of local, regional and national projects, from small initiatives through to multibillion-rand megaprojects.

This includes 15 major national water resource infrastructure projects collectively valued at more than R100-billion, all in different stages of implementation around the country.

“One thing that is perhaps not covered . . . is the challenges of infrastructure and projects that are obviously being destabilised by the so-called construction mafias. I think that is something that we need to bear in mind that there are interruptions that are happening across water-related and sanitation projects at a local level.”

He said that there were “so-called small, medium-sized and microenterprises” (SMMEs) that are disrupting and extorting money from construction companies “all in the name of that particular 30%”.

This poses a significant lose-lose situation for government, as there is no upskilling and there is no development, besides others.

“Government is being held at ransom by people who claim that they are SMMEs that need to benefit from this particular 30%.

“This is an issue that was raised by the water boards during our engagement, and this is an issue that I highlighted with the Minister to say we need to find a way in which we can meet with the security cluster and find ways in which we are able to also then protect these particular projects,” Seitlholo commented.

“If this particular issue persists, we are going to find ourselves in a position where there are no projects that are completed, because we are dealing with mafia who are extorting money from projects that are supposed to be benefiting [communities].”

These particular projects, valued at billions of rands, will not “see the light of day” owing to this particular phenomenon.

“It is a phenomenon that needs to be dealt with. We know the Department of Public Works and other departments are also faced with challenges of the construction mafia, and this construction mafia has cost the economy billions of rands over time.”