By Danie Jacobs
Lentswe, Klerksdorp - Construction of The Village I Buffelsdoorn Road resumed this week after the North West High Court in Mahikeng ruled against illegal trespassers/inciters.
Work on the new shopping centre came to a standstill a bit more than two weeks ago when employees on the site were intimidated and chased away by the so-called Construction Mafia, who demanded jobs. Lentswe was told that the contractor feared for his life.
Resilient Properties and Klerksdorp Village Investments succeeded in getting a court order against Mzukisi Jam, Jonas Thamsanqa, illegal trespassers, and any person associated with the named trespassers on Wednesday August 14. The NW provincial commissioner of police and the station commander of Klerksdorp police station were also ordered to enforce law and order should Jam, Thamsanqa and other trespassers not comply with the order.
Work at the construction site resumed on Monday August 19. Speaking to one of the developers who did not want to be identified, Lentswe was told that this setback has resulted in a delay of the expected opening date of the centre. They planned to open on December 1, but that has been moved to 2025.
Lentswe received various calls from concerned citizens who wanted to know why construction came to a standstill. Rumours about the construction mafia being behind this also spread like wildfire and residents are scared that “the mafia can be so powerful’’.
The intimidation at this new centre is just one recent case of intimidation in the Klerksdorp area. According to Col Adele Myburgh, police spokesperson, similar actions were reported in July when a contractor was installing fibre between Klerksdorp and Wolmaransstad and at a taxi rank in Jouberton. Police arrested the culprits on charges of extortion.
According to the State Investigating Unit (SIU), the “construction mafia refers to extortion groups typically put pressure on developers or contractors to pay excessive rates or face protracted strike action, often coupled with the threat of damage to property and threats of violence to those who would otherwise wish to continue working’’.
