Building Through Integrity: How Developers Can Navigate and Neutralise the Construction Mafia in Cape Town

By Warren Brusse, Chief Executive Officer, Zebinvest Real Estate Development

Zebinvest's core belief is that real estate must be accessible, inclusive, and empowering. As a leasehold developer, we’re not here to build and exit — we’re here to build and remain.

As real estate developers operating in South Africa, we’re navigating more than just the technical and financial complexities of projects. We’re also contending with a growing and highly disruptive challenge - the construction mafia. These informal groups are increasingly targeting sites across Cape Town, halting progress, demanding unlawful access to contracts, and threatening the very future of infrastructure and real estate development in our cities.

At Zebinvest Real Estate Development, we believe that inclusive development and strategic community partnerships are the antidote to this issue. Through our work in leasehold development and long-term community investment, we’ve seen how the right approach can prevent conflict, empower communities, and unlock sustainable value for all stakeholders.

Understanding the Construction Mafia Threat

The construction mafia operates under various names - community business forums, labour representatives, or activist networks - but the outcome is often the same:

• Unlawful disruption of sites.

  
  

• Extortion for contracts or employment.

  
  

• Violence or intimidation towards contractors and staff.

  
  

These tactics threaten not just the bottom line, but the long-term confidence of investors, governments, and local communities. And while enforcement is improving, the real solution lies in pre-emptive strategy.

Our Approach: Engage. Empower. Protect.

At Zebinvest, we follow a clear three-part approach to mitigate construction mafia risks:

1. Engage Community and Local Stakeholders Proactively

Real estate development is not just about building physical assets - it's about building trust, relationships, and shared purpose. Before a single brick is laid, we engage with community groups and legitimate local leadership to ensure alignment.

Case Study: The River Club, Cape Town

The R4.6 billion River Club development faced initial community opposition. But once the developers Zenprop engaged First Nations leadership - including the Khoi and San groups - they forged a historic partnership involving heritage preservation, employment inclusion, and cultural recognition. The project was ultimately greenlit and stands as a powerful example of what’s possible through partnership.

We believe that community organisations like First Nations have a vital role to play in shaping Cape Town’s future - not only as cultural custodians but as economic stakeholders. When they are meaningfully included, the space for construction mafia influence disappears.

2. Empower Communities Through Structured, Transparent Opportunity

We have learned that exclusion breeds resistance, and often, that resistance is hijacked by criminal interests. To prevent this, Zebinvest insists on a clear and transparent Local Labour Desk and SMME procurement framework in every project.

Case Study: Mitchells Plain Housing Projects

Through a Local Project Steering Committee, developers working with the City of Cape Town facilitated equitable employment, local subcontractor involvement, and ongoing community oversight. The result: minimal disruption, higher local satisfaction, and project completion on time and on budget.

At Zebinvest, we integrate similar principles by:

• Publishing job and procurement opportunities.

  
  

• Creating SMME mentorship and onboarding pathways.

  
  

• Working hand-in-hand with community liaison officers.

  
  

3. Secure Our Developments Through Strategic Protection Partnerships

While social empowerment is our long-term strategy, we also recognise the need for robust short-term protection. That includes engaging law enforcement, legal specialists, and municipal development units.

Through Cape Town’s Mayoral Priority Infrastructure Protection Programme, developers can register sensitive projects to access:

• Law enforcement visibility and response.

  
  

• Public-private security coordination.

  
  

• Legal support to secure interdicts and injunctions.

  
  

We also collaborate with private security firms that specialise in site protection and labour risk mitigation — not as a substitute for community engagement, but as a safeguard for progress.

A Five-Step Model for Developers

Based on our experience and lessons from across the Western Cape, we advocate for this five-step model:

1. Stakeholder Mapping: Identify community groups, ward councillors, SMMEs, and local leaders.

   
   

2. Engagement MOUs: Secure formal agreements outlining employment, training, and cultural commitments.

   
   

3. Transparent Labour Desk: Manage hiring and subcontracting with community participation.

   
   

4. Site Protection: Involve SAPS, the City, and private security early.

   
   

5. Ongoing Communication: Maintain visibility through newsletters, site tours, and feedback platforms.

   
   

The Bigger Picture: Real Estate Must Serve Communities

At Zebinvest, our core belief is that real estate must be accessible, inclusive, and empowering. As a leasehold developer, we’re not here to build and exit — we’re here to build and remain. That long-term commitment aligns our interests with the very communities that are often marginalised in traditional development models.

By working with - not against - local communities, we not only neutralise the construction mafia threat, we unlock shared value.

We believe the future of Cape Town’s real estate sector will be led by developers who are as committed to community empowerment as they are to financial returns.

Warren Brusse, Chief Executive Officer, Zebinvest Real Estate Development