Six armed construction mafia members targeted a project in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, funded by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, pilfering 300 litres of diesel mere hours after the department announced the initiative’s launch.
On Monday morning, 12 May 2025, the MEC for the KZN Department of Transport, Siboniso Duma, revealed that his department had allocated over R177 million to rehabilitate the P304 road in Bergville, severely compromised by inclement weather earlier this year, rendering it nearly impassable.
While the project aligns with the KZN Department of Transport’s mission to restore road infrastructure to a serviceable state, on Tuesday morning, 13 May 2025, the MEC disclosed disturbing news received on Monday afternoon. A violent, armed construction mafia gang of six accosted construction workers and stole 300 litres of diesel in a remote rural area of Bergville, under the Okhahlamba Local Municipality.
According to the MEC, the department invested R177 million to restore the P304 road, a critical artery linking Bergville to Maloti Drakensberg Park/Royal Natal Park via the R74.
Moreover, this route is pivotal in stimulating rural economies for communities grappling with poverty, as emphasised by the department.
Devastating floods that ravaged KZN earlier this year obliterated this road network, isolating hundreds of communities and severing access to hospitals, schools, and socio-economic hubs. “With this investment, as the department, we want to ensure that P304 remains in safe and usable condition and contributes towards the stimulation of all sectors of the economy such as agriculture and tourism,” said the MEC, who noted that the robbery, which has now cast a shadow over the project, is reportedly unprecedented, with the case registered as CAS 17/05/2025 at the Bergville Police Station.
“We are confident that KZN Police Commissioner Lt General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and his team of law enforcement agencies will apprehend the criminals. We salute Inkosi Njabulo Miya of the Emazizini Traditional Council, the izinduna, and the whole community for their public display of anger and opposition against these criminals who are trying to derail the project. Finally, we are encouraging anyone with information about this robbery to contact the nearest police. There should be no place for construction mafia gangs in villages, townships, suburbs, or anywhere in KZN,” concluded MEC Duma.
It should be highlighted that the construction mafia’s pervasive criminal activities in KwaZulu-Natal have profoundly disrupted infrastructure development, threatening economic stability and community welfare.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has reported that since 2019, criminal syndicates have stalled over 180 projects valued at R63 billion across South Africa, with KwaZulu-Natal being a primary hotspot due to its high incidence of extortion and violence.
Furthermore, in a December 2024 parliamentary reply, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu disclosed that 745 extortion cases were reported nationwide since November 2024, with 102 cases in KZN alone, resulting in 16 arrests. These disruptions, often demanding 30% of contract values, have delayed vital projects like the P304 road rehabilitation, escalated costs, and deterred private investment, exacerbating poverty and isolation in rural areas.
To combat this crisis, the government is implementing a robust strategy to restore order and safeguard KZN’s development. T
he deployment of economic infrastructure task teams to identified hotspots, as outlined by Minister Mchunu, has facilitated arrests and enhanced site security. Additionally, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is collaborating with the National Treasury to reform procurement regulations, closing loopholes exploited by these syndicates.
By strengthening law enforcement, engaging communities, and addressing socio-economic drivers such as unemployment, KZN aims to rebuild investor confidence, ensure timely project delivery, and foster sustainable economic growth for its communities.
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