DPWI eyes partnership with King Misuzulu to fight 'construction mafia' in KZN

Officials from the Public Works and Infrastructure Department are currently meeting with Zulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini to forge a crucial partnership.

A key item on the agenda is establishing a formal collaboration to protect infrastructure projects across KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

Minister Dean Macpherson emphasised that cooperation with traditional leadership will be vital in addressing the criminal elements that impede their work.

"Particularly around protecting infrastructure projects, around our social facilitation framework, which is key to getting new projects on track and fighting back against the construction mafia, and traditional leaders play an important role in that."

Macpherson added that they were also briefing the king on other departmental projects and reforms.

"We also want to present some of the reforms that we are doing in EPWP [Expanded Public Works Programme], which is important in rural communities like the one we are in, Nongoma today. So, it is a good opportunity to not only meet with His Majesty but to also affirm our commitment to traditional leadership and to partnerships, which is critical to achieving our successes."

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