Durban — The KwaMashu Hostel residents will be provided with free buses to attend Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s funeral in Ulundi on Saturday.
This comes after hostel residents closed down Malandela Road with stones and burning tyres on Wednesday in a protest demanding free buses from eThekwini Municipality to attend Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s funeral.
According to Nicolas Biyela, who is an Induna in KwaMashu Hostel, the hostel dwellers were promised four buses and a full update on Thursday after the special meeting by the IFP leadership.
“During the protest, the police called the IFP’s structure, including Mdu Nkosi, to address the protest. To calm the situation down they then promised to at least provide four buses and said they would provide us with a full update today (Thursday) after the special meeting,” said Biyela.
Biyela said the aim of the protest was to demand an update on buses to transport them to Prince Buthelezi’s funeral from eThekwini Municipality.
Biyela also revealed that when they contacted eThekwini Municipality they were told that the City cannot take over the matter of providing the buses as the metro. They rely on the orders of the national leadership on the matter.
eThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, said the municipality does not have control over the hiring of buses as this is an independent process done by the bus operator for the Durban Transport Bus Service.
“Those requiring special hire services for funerals and weddings, etc, must make arrangements to hire the buses directly with the bus operator for the Durban Transport Bus Service,’’ said Sisilana.
IFP eThekwini leader Mdu Nkosi said: “The four buses were a suggestion to address the protest and try to calm them down when I was contacted by the police, with other leaders. However, we are having a special meeting to discuss the matter of transport,” said Nkosi.
Nkosi also said eThekwini people know that whenever there was a state funeral the municipality provided transport.
“I’m not approving of what they did, but people are frustrated because it’s known that municipalities normally assist with transport in state funerals. All of a sudden they can’t assist with transport to Prince Buthelezi’s funeral?’’ said Nkosi.
Ubumbano Lwama Hostela chairperson Vusi Zweni said they were distancing themselves from this protest, claiming it was the IFP supporters, not hostel residents.
“We totally distance ourselves and any questions regarding this march must be directed to the IFP leadership. Those protesters protested as IFP supporters, not as hostel residents,’’ said Zweni.
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