WATCH: MaMkhize Admits to Collaborating with Construction Mafia
Entrepreneur and reality TV personality Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize has inadvertently stirred controversy by admitting to working with the so-called “construction mafia,” a group notorious for using violence and intimidation to extort money from businesses in the public works sector.
This revelation comes after her name recently trended on X (formerly known as Twitter) in connection with an attempted assassination of a SARS advocate who was investigating her companies over a R37 million case.
MaMkhize is no stranger to legal troubles, having faced charges in the past for alleged crimes such as fraud, forgery, bribery, and tax evasion.
Also read: SARS Lawyer In The Case Against Mamkhize Shot Three Times In Assassination Attempt
MaMkhize Admits to Collaborating with Construction Mafia
During a Women in Construction event in Durban, MaMkhize, owner of the Zikhulise Group, which operates in the construction, cleaning, maintenance, and transport sectors, openly admitted to “collaborating” with these criminal elements.
She claimed that despite the illegal activities of the construction mafia, it is crucial to “collaborate” with them. MaMkhize said:
“As much as there are construction mafias, it is very important to collaborate. I’ve been in the industry for more than 20 years, with the construction mafia involved. But what I do is I sit down [with them]. It’s a cry for help. You need to understand what they need, and you collaborate. I’ve done it. I’ve built quite a lot of people that are coming from construction mafias, which I call business forums”.
She continued:
“They’ve never given me problems. We must look at them as enemies. We must listen, hear them out, and meet each other halfway. That’s how I’ve done it”.
Public Reactions and Debate
After a video of MaMkhize’s comments surfaced, South Africans were shocked, while some argued that her words were being misinterpreted. Here are a few reactions:
@Sinelizwi_:
Sana, you collaborate with extortionist and you call them “business forums” 😩
@Kat4Kubs:
Collaborating with a mafia, makes you part of the mafia kodwa Shawn!
@AsaSitole:
She is right!!!!!!!!
Construction Mafias means BLACK PEOPLE with small registered companies who are trying to build up their construction companies and careers, but the red tape blocks them.
Mamkhize says negotiate with the construction mafia/extortionists 😩 pic.twitter.com/GrCRfhFOHz
— ZIZI (@Bathandwa95) August 22, 2024