Durban - The City of uMhlathuze is calm and peaceful with businesses back in full swing on Friday after an unrest crippled operations in the town earlier this week. From Monday, entrance and exit routes to the coastal town were closed when residents took to the streets complaining about widespread crime in the Central Business District. Fingers were pointed at drug addicts. At least 30 people have been arrested following the three day protest in Richards Bay. It is alleged that the protests stemmed from two murders, one of a bus driver and the other a taxi driver, at the hands of suspected whoonga addicts.
According to those who spoke to The Mercury on the basis of anonymity, taxi drivers then targeted a group of people they believed were supplying drugs to vagrants in the Richards Bay CBD. Mdu Ncalane spokesperson for the uMhlathuze municipality said public Transport especially minibus taxis and buses are back in operation from Thursday. Malls, shopping centres and restaurants are operating with full staff compliment,"Ncalane said.
City of uMhlathuze Mayor Councillor Mduduzi Mhlongo, has committed to coordinating all relevant stakeholders and concerned parties such as the Public Transport Associations, South African Police Services, Home Affairs, the Zululand Business Chamber and engage with Provincial and National security cluster, if necessary, to get into the root cause of the community unrest. He said they had came to amicable short term solutions with the concerned stakeholders and already planning to get back to round table to discuss long term arrest of any criminal activities.
Mhlongo said they plan to intensify bylaw enforcement activities especially in buildings within the city that are alleged to have become drugs den. Mhlongo reassured the business sector, investors and citizens that the city will act swiftly to avert anything that will tamper with the safety of and cripple the business operation that has a ripple effect to the economy of the City.
UMhlathuze incorporated Richards Bay, eMpangeni towns and large townships such as eSikhaleni, Meerensee, eNseleni, Mzingazi and traditional areas such as Ntabanana, etc. Reacting to the unrest on Facebook Mondli Mavundla said, "Who gave rights to murder our innocent citizens this will never end until stakeholders and police officials pull up their socks and do what they get paid for cause this our country,this is our tax and we grew up here and we have no place to hide,community is fed up with all these nonsense Richards bay suppose to be a clean and quiet city like early 90's.
