Just four days after political parties committed themselves to peaceful elections, National Freedom Party supporters in Umlazi’s T section were assaulted and their houses damaged when they attempted to elect a candidate for the May 18 local governmentelections.
An armed mob of about 5 000 people went around the T-Section men’s hostel at 2am on Sunday.
Shots were fired and male residents were forced out of their homes and ordered to head to the hostel’s community hall, where the NFP was set to elect its Ward 89 (Umlazi) candidate at 10am.
NFP spokesman S’khumbuzo Zulu said several people had been assaulted and six houses damaged. When The Mercury visited the area, many people said they feared returning home because they would be attacked.
“NFP supporters ran away from their homes because they are afraid. We need to elect a candidate before the cut-off date on Friday,” he said.
“What saddens us is that all political parties signed pledges that these elections would be free and fair … we need to condemn this in the strongest way. The NFP will not be deterred by acts of intimidation.”
Police Brigadier Phindile Radebe said three cases of malicious damage to property were opened. No arrests were made.
“Police were called to the area, where a group of about 5 000 people was mobilising and heading to the community hall. I can’t confirm which political party the group belonged to,” she said.
On Monday, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Willies Mchunu and Co-operative Governance MEC Nomusa Dube would meet political leaders in Estcourt to discuss stability during the build-up to the elections.
Mchunu’s spokesman, Kwanele Ncalane, said a multi-party committee would schedule other areas to visit after going to Estcourt.
“Estcourt has been labelled a hot spot, as instability and a number of killings have been reported … Umsinga, Ulundi, Nongoma, Mandeni and KwaMaphumulo have also been identified as needing attention and focus,” he said.
“I appeal to all political parties and other formations to communicate with their members not to practice such behaviour, because the police will be working tirelessly to ensure that there is calm,” said Mchunu.
KZN violence monitor Mary de Haas was not surprised by the Umlazi incident.
“Hostels historically have fairly conservative rural people in them. It’s early days, but you’ll get a lot of threats in rural areas,” she said.
NFP president Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi urged NFP supporters not to retaliate.
“It’s sad that there are people who oppose democracy… I urge the IFP leadership to publicly oppose such acts of violence and intimidation … I’m also asking the police to ensure that such violations do not continue,” she said.
IFP spokesman Thulasizwe Buthelezi said the party had nothing to gain from intimidating NFP supporters.
“The NFP must start conducting its own business and learn to drop the IFP from its vocabulary,” he said.
KZN chief electoral officer Mawethu Mosery said the Independent Electoral Commission would meet local political leaders in order to help prevent such incidents from happening again. - The Mercury