- This topic is empty.
Viewing 1 post (of 1 total)
-
Posts
-
Water mafias are spreading across the country, sabotaging the already ailing infrastructure to cash in, while similar mafias are already operating in the electricity and construction industries.
In October last year, University of the Free State expert and professor Dr Anthony Turton noted that water shortages in several provinces – caused by the neglect of deteriorating infrastructure – had created a perfect storm for tanker mafias taking advantage of the chaos.
He highlighted instances of a thriving tanker mafia in KZN sabotaging the water infrastructure to go ahead and extend their contracts with the municipalities to provide water over communities that are without water for days.
Turton further noted that there are large mafias operating in Petroia as a result of the Hammanskraal cholera outbreak, as well as in parts of the Free State, where there is a large sewage mafia.
This mafia functions in a similar manner, sabotaging the infrastructure to ensure pumping and maintenance tenders.
What’s even worse, Turton explained that these acts of sabotage take place at key points, suggesting that some public workers in the municipalities are complicit.
Robert Mashego, chairman of Parliament’s Water and Sanitation portfolio committee, agreed with Turton, noting that these mafia groups have become a significant concern across several provinces, not just KZN.
“Water tankers have become big business. In fact, several municipalities have reported that these criminal groups have threatened them when maintenance teams go out to repair damage to the infrastructure,” Mashego said.
Because of the thriving business of these mafias, Mashego, when asked if he was aware of any municipal workers involved, said it could not be ruled out.
Mashego revealed that he was also threatened several times by the mafia groups after visits to various sites to ensure that the proper processes were followed.
“They told me, we heard talk of stopping things [using tankers], so don’t come here again; that’s our business,” he said.
Mashego noted that dozens of incidents involving these mafia groups in various sectors have been reported to the Minister of Police, who promised that focus would be directed towards the spread of these mafias.
Turton warned that the rise in these mafias is a concern because the bigger the crisis, the greater the opportunity for the syndicates.
Proof of their distribution is that these groups are embedded in all major sectors, including Eskom, Transnet and the construction industry.
Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has previously warned that organised crime is rapidly emerging as the biggest threat to South Africa’s economy.
Mavuso said that crime syndicates, who have already captured large industries across various sectors, are now more damaging than poor policies or service delivery failures.
“We are in the grip of an epidemic with major industries from mining to construction targeted by extortion missiles. It undermines all our efforts to build a country and grow the economy,” she said.
source:‘Krissis mafias’ flourish in South Africa – People’s Power News (volkskrag.co.za)
Viewing 1 post (of 1 total)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.