GROUP ASSIGNMENT

In and around $2015$ the South African construction industry started experiencing hostile and violent disruptions on its construction

sites. Initially these disruptions were mainly concentrated in the province of KwaZulu Natal but around $2022$ they had spread into

other provinces of the country. According to GI$-$TOC this practice of violently disrupting construction sites was started by two groups

from the townships of Umlazi and Kwamashu in Durban under a movement known as Radical Economic Transformation $($RET$).$

Dubbed as construction mafias or construction business forums, the modus operandi of these groups would be to target

infrastructure construction sites taking place in the province, capture the sites by force and demand $30\%$ of contract value in the form

of cash which they refer to as $$protection fee$$ or a portion of the scope of work of the project. According to them, the $30\%$ was

informed by both regulation $4$ and $9$ of the PPPFA regulations as outlined above. It is claimed that by the year $2019$ almost every

developmental site was one way or another affected by the invasion by the construction business forums in the province of KwaZulu

Natal. This continued practice of systemic extortion led to the South African National Treasury $($NT$)$ releasing a statement in which it

warned against what it referred to as the alleged abused of the $30\%$ subcontracting requirements provided for in the PPPFA

regulations of $2017.$ In the statement the NT cautioned that such a practice is illegal and defeats the constitutional aspirations of

genuinely and legitimately attempting to transform the economy of the country.

GI$-$TOC claims that just in $2019$ alone, at least about $183$ infrastructure and construction projects estimated to be worth more than

R$63$ billion were disrupted and captured by these organised groups. When capturing or hijacking construction sites to advance their

extortionate demands, these groups which are mostly heavily armed, would use violence to threaten contractors and other

engineering and construction professional service providers employed to construction sites. GI$-$TOC claims that during the process of

invading and disrupting construction sites, the actual sites would be closed down, workers would either be intimidated or assaulted,

and managers from both consulting and construction companies would be threatened with their lives if they dare refuse to comply

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with the demands. Although these strong$-$arm tactics have been refuted by the business forums, the number of incidents reported

from the province of KwaZulu Natal have given credence to them.

PART ONE: DEBATE $(80\%)$

This part will take form of a formal debate to be held between two randomly selected groups. Even numbered groups must prepare

to argue for the proposition and odd numbered groups against the proposition.

The Proposition:

Business forums falls under the category of those that were historically disadvantaged, it is therefore extremely unfair that they are

labelled as hooligans as they are legitimate entities merely giving effect to the legislation by demanding to be part of economic

activities taking place in their respective areas. Therefore, Business forums are entitled to the $30\%$ as it was provided for in the

PPR$2017.$

Format:

All EVEN $$ numbered groups must prepare to argue FOR the proposition $($the affirmative position$)$ and all ODD $$

numbered groups must prepare to argue AGAINST the proposition $($the negative position$).$ The debate will take the form

of a Lincoln$-$Douglas Debate $($L$-$D debate$).$ An L$-$D debate consists of five speeches and two cross$-$examination periods.

The speeches and their times are as follows:

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Speaker $($Speech$)$ Time

Affirmative Constructive $6$ Minutes

Negative$-$led Cross$-$Examination $3$ Minutes

Negative Constructive $/$ Rebuttal $7$ Minutes

Affirmative$-$led Cross$-$Examination $3$ Minutes

Affirmative Rebuttal $4$ Minutes

Negative Rebuttal $/$ Crystallization $6$ Minutes

Each speaker will be allotted $3$ minutes of preparation time, which he$/$she can choose to employ prior to any speech he$/$she gives

and is ideally used for preparing arguments and studying notes they've taken during a round.

Each group must decide which of its members is to play each role within the debate team $$ no individual may argue more

than once.

Some extra notes:

Constructive Argument

You must develop a cogent argument to support your assertions. This will involve some research on your part! The use of facts and

theory to support your assertions is a far more effective way to sway the minds of others than merely stating your humble opinion.

Remember that you have $6/7$ minutes $$ make full use of all of them by demonstrating your understanding of the issues th