DA finally deals with Numbers Gang construction mafia after years of inaction

The City of Cape Town has finally taken action against the construction mafia by blacklisting 12 companies allegedly linked to underworld figures, including Nicole Johnson, wife of alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield.

Nicole Johnson’s Glomix House Brokers received attention in 2019 for winning a tender in a 28s gang stronghold.

The investigation into ongoing extortion revealed connections between Human Settlements Department officials and companies associated with Johnson. The inquiry follows the murder of City staffer Wendy Kloppers, killed after the City resisted gang extortion demands.

This was precipitated by an intensification of intimidation and extortion tactics by the gang after their corrupt contracts with former City Councilor for Human Settlements Malusi Booi were cancelled upon his arrest for taking cash bribes earlier this year.

While complaints about the corrupt connection between Booi and the Numbers had been lodged with the City for four years, predominantly by Fadiel Adams of the National Coloured Congress, no action was taken until the police raided Booi’s office.

The investigation revealed City officials accused of “tailor-making” tenders to favor underworld-linked companies. Some officials from the Human Settlements Department faced suspension, and others attended disciplinary hearings.

Gangs had pressured a housing project contractor for a percentage of the work, leading to Kloppers’ murder when the City refused to yield to their demands.

The City has now suspended all tenders to scrutinize them for gang ties. The investigation uncovered that all the blacklisted companies were linked to Nicole Johnson.

City Manager Lungelo Mbandazayo, using the Supply Chain Management Policy, wrote to the companies, citing their association with Johnson and questioning the City’s continued business with them. The policy cites “reputational harm” as its primary motivation.

The ongoing extortion has affected various City projects, including roadworks, MyCiTi construction, and other initiatives. This feeds into a braoder pattern of extortion that was pioneered in KwaZulu Natal nearly a decade ago, but has spread to the rest of the country, crippling the construction sector.

The decision to blacklist companies aims to shield ratepayers from criminal enterprises and prevent taxpayers’ money from funding suspected kingpins involved in destructive activities.

Mbandazayo emphasizes the importance of maintaining the City’s reputation and ensuring public funds do not support criminal endeavors.