Building 'Mafia' in casino gamble

A R1.8 billion construction work to improve Suncoast Casino has come to a halt. Picture: Supplied

A R1.8 billion construction work to improve Suncoast Casino has come to a halt. Picture: Supplied

Published Feb 22, 2017

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Durban – Work to expand and improve Suncoast Casino has come to an abrupt stop as a result of the interference by the controversial Delangokubona Business Forum.

The project was set to cost R1.8 billion and was an important investment in the KZN tourism sector.

The demolition of a wing at the casino and the parking area began late last year, but stopped earlier this year.

When the Daily News visited the site recently, work had stopped altogether, with rubble from the demolition stacked in mounds.

“At the end of January, a group of men arrived here in vans and taxis and forced their way on to the site. They threatened the security guard on duty, telling him that what they were doing had nothing to do with him,” said a guard at the site.

He said he had heard that the forum was unhappy with the tender process to extend the casino. The forum is regarded as a mafia-styled operation in the construction sector.

The security guard had seen Suncoast management and the contractor, WBHO, holding a meeting at the site recently, but did not know what was discussed.

Siyabonga Ndlovu, who washes cars in the parking area, also saw the vans and taxis arrive in January and said the police had intervened.

On Tuesday, Suncoast confirmed that the forum had sought an equity stake in construction sites around eThekwini and had been on the Suncoast site.

“The forum and WBHO remain in discussion, but we have taken the decision for a temporary shutdown of the site,” said Suncoast executive director Mike Dowsley.

“In the interim, we are in the process of changing the order of the works of the project with the contractor.

“As such, we will be experiencing temporary delays in the project, but will continue to keep guests updated,” he said.

Mfundo Mseleku, the forum’s secretary, confirmed they had stopped work on the site after WBHO allegedly reneged on implementing resolutions that had been reached at previous meetings.

“It was not only Delangokubona who went to the site; it was a Federation of KZN Business Forums, and it’s not true that we forced our way into the site.

“We went there to stop the work because we knew it was the only way to get the contractor to honour the agreement we had,” Mseleku said.

He said they wanted construction firms to give black businesses a 40% stake in construction projects and to hire people in areas where projects were happening.

“We’ve had success in achieving this in the construction of the uMmlazi Mega City Mall and its current extension project, the building of new residences at Mangosuthu University of Technology and the R603 road in Umbumbulu,” said Mseleku.

He refused to comment on how their current negotiations with the construction giants were going.

The situation has angered the provincial leadership in KZN who have vowed to take action against the “lawlessness”.

Ndabezinhle Sibiya, spokesperson for Premier Willies Mchunu, said the premier would use his State of the Province address to outline plans to tackle “instability and lawlessness” by groups such as Delangokubona.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the actions of this Delangokubona group as this is becoming the order of the day,” said Sibiya.

He said Economic Development and Tourism MEC Sihle Zikalala and Community Safety and Liaison MEC Mxolisi Kaunda were leading efforts to deal with “elements” such as Delangokubona and other groups using similar tactics.

Economic Development and Tourism Department spokesperson Bongani Tembe told the Daily News on Tuesday that the MEC was continuing to engage with the forum’s leadership to find lasting solutions to the issues.

Speaking at the KZN Economic Summit earlier this month, Zikalala vowed to take serious action and clamp down on the “prevailing state of lawlessness”.

He condemned disruptions to service delivery projects, saying they had the potential to discourage investors in the province.

“If people feel they have been denied an opportunity, we will engage with them and that applies to projects that are either government or private sector. But once there is vandalism, we will not be found wanting; we will mobilise all partners in the Economic Council to understand that firmness is firmness,” said Zikalala.

Daily News

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