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As construction mafias take root around the country, senior Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime analyst and expert Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane, says they are detrimental not only to contractors and the projects themselves, but to legitimate small businesses that are denied opportunities.
Irish-Qhobosheane said groups involved in the construction mafia also target smaller township development projects, and even those building their own homes.
"The practice is also spreading to other sectors of the economy, and the emergence of the 'procurement mafia' in the mining sector is a case in point. While the economic impacts may be clear, more difficult to measure is the impact of the construction mafia's behaviour on people's feelings of security and the long-term damage caused," she said.
