United Nations (UN) agencies in South Africa have pledged their full support to assisting KwaZulu-Natal recover from the devastating looting and violence that gripped the province almost three weeks ago.
?️PRESS RELEASE?️…? https://t.co/dHj0hk3Niz
The @UNinSouthAfrica, officials from the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government Premier’s office and #CSO to identify priority areas of support for the assessment of progress made to #RebuildKZN province. @kzngov #RebuildSA pic.twitter.com/YwXHxQ6n3I
— Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS (@nardosbthomas) July 31, 2021
A task team of UN and KZN officials has been established to identify priority areas in need of support.
A delegation, led by the UN’s Resident Coordinator, Nardos Bekele-Thomas, has finished a two-day visit to Durban to assess the impact of the unrest.
Zikalala says the UN is a key ally in job creation and stimulating economic growth after the looting and violence.
On Thursday, the premier announced that the province has asked the national government to declare a state of disaster in the province following the unrest and mass looting, which resulted in the loss of life and widespread destruction.
The protests began as a show of support for the release from prison of former president Jacob Zuma, who is serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court. But it escalated into riots, leaving at least 250 people dead.
Zikalala briefs the media on economic recovery: