DURBAN - Political and business leaders on the North Coast have condemned incidents deemed as acts of alleged racism and prejudice that emerged at access points in the area following violence and looting across KwaZulu-Natal last week.
The KwaDukuza Municipality, iLembe District Municipality, KZN Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department, the Greater Ballito Operations Centre (GBOC), iLembe Chamber of Commerce and Ballito Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) held a meeting on Monday to discuss issues that emerged amid the unrest.
In a statement released on Tuesday on behalf of the parties concerned, it said the meeting dealt with issues witnessed over the past two weeks, as well as to chart a way forward.
The statement said all stakeholders acknowledged and appreciated the work of all law enforcement agencies, including private sector security companies, organised community-based crime-preventing bodies and general members of the public who played a part in reducing the looting and destruction of property in their communities.
The statement said the meeting also dealt with concerns that surfaced on social media regarding alleged acts of racism and prejudice at certain access points in Ballito during the height of the civil unrest.
While it did not specify which incidents it was referring to, last week, Premier Sihle Zikalala said the government was aware of incidents where some members of communities were being prevented from entering into certain areas, including Ballito.
“The GBOC through the chief executive, Warwick Chapman apologised and expressed that it worked for the benefit of all residents irrespective of age, race, and gender, and strongly condemned these acts and criticised all individuals who looked to use this unfortunate time to sew divisions in the area,” it said.
The meeting, said the statement, noted the critical importance of stability and order within the key economic nodes of the KwaDukuza municipal area and the need to review and revamp existing structures of engagement, ensuring mutually beneficial, outcome-focused collaboration that would result in measurable improvements to service delivery.
“The collaborative approach and critical nature of this undertaking have forged a foundation of mutual respect and operational capacity to build a more peaceful, equitable and prosperous community.
“It was also agreed that, as enshrined in various legislative prescripts of the KwaDukuza Municipality, SAPS, and various SAPS Community Policing Forum structures will be at the helm of managing the security situation, including the manning of roadblocks in catchment areas as identified,” the statement said.
THE MERCURY