KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says it will take time for the province to recover from the recent violent unrest.
Addressing the media in Durban, Zikalala said preliminary results show that the damage caused by the unrest could cost the province’s GDP more than R20 billion. He also raised concerns over the increasing shortage of food in rural areas that have been affected by the unrest.
Zikalala’s media briefing:
“eThekwini and Msunduzi municipality remain the hardest hit. We estimate that the unrest will affect eThekweni in the following areas. Loss of stock of more than R1. 5 billion, damage to property and equipment which we estimate at R15 billion, over 50 000 informal traders have been affected. Over 40 000 businesses ae affected, more than 150 000 jobs are now at risk.”
Some of those allegedly killed during unrest being buried this weekend
Some of the people who were killed allegedly during the unrest in Phoenix north of Durban are being buried this weekend. There has been public outcry over alleged police inaction following the deaths in the area.
Yesterday, acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said 20 people were arrested in connection with a number of deaths in Phoenix.
The Khumalo family in KwaMashu north of Durban is burying two people, an internationally acclaimed choreographer Delani and his nephew Mhlongo.
Founder of the KwaMashu Community Advancement Project Edmund Mhlongo says they are devastated by the deaths of their loved ones.
“One of the top choreographers in South Africa, actually I put him in a deep end because we didn’t have trainers and I said because you got talent go there and train and I will mentor you and the rest is history. I’ve mentored him, he was teachable, he was trainable and he became an asset of the community. That is why he has been travelling all over the world with the productions not only of KCAP and that is why he ended up in the training of schools and started a huge carnival that was collaborating with a Gauteng carnival, Jabulani. South Africa celebrated in 2004 and the biggest one was Bayede Shaka the Spear is born where he performed together with Henry Cele, the legend himself,” says Mhlongo.
