Almost a month after their arrest, the four men accused of operating as part of a construction mafia syndicate in Lwamondo will have to wait a little longer before they know their fate.
The suspects, identified as local businessmen Mberegeni Nelwamondo (42), Vhonani Ndou (43), Khathutshelo Nemahagala (44), better known as Ndoda, and Rudzani Rolling Munzhelele (43), better known as Tshigivhe, appeared in the Vuwani Magistrate’s Court on 2 March, where they applied for bail.
The bail application, which is being presented through affidavits, started on the same day but was postponed to 30 March 2026 due to the unavailability of the presiding officer, who is currently on two weeks’ leave.
The four are accused of attempting to forcefully solicit money from a contractor installing WiFi infrastructure at Lwamondo Mathule, allegedly demanding a 30% share of the project value or threatening to disrupt and stall the construction work.
The contractor, who was reportedly being pressured by the group, refused to comply with the demands and instead reported the matter to the police.
Rumours of so-called construction mafias and extortion syndicates operating in parts of the Vhembe district have been circulating for some time. However, many victims are believed to be reluctant to report such incidents to the police out of fear of reprisals.
In this case, the contractor stood her ground and alerted authorities about the alleged intimidation and extortion attempts. Acting on the information received, police moved swiftly and arrested two of the suspects on Friday, 13 February, before later apprehending the remaining members of the group.
The four suspects remain in custody while awaiting the continuation of their bail application later this month. The State has indicated that it will oppose bail.