PICS & VIDEO: Richards Bay unrest brings CBD to standstill, hampers businesses

Published Aug 22, 2019

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Durban - The state of unrest in Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast has thrown local businesses into disarray, with trucks and community members blockading the N2 freeway near the Nseleni township for about a week. 

Community members alleged that whoonga addicts were peddling drugs for drug lords, leading to violent clashes between the community and taxi and truck drivers on Friday.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbhele on Wednesday afternoon said all roads were clear and public order police were still monitoring the situation in Richards Bay.

She said on Monday there was a stand-off between about 100 community members and the police.

“The police arrested a 32-year-old who was found with a dangerous weapon. Just after that, community members headed to the police station where they demanded the release of the man. 

The state of unrest in Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast has thrown local businesses into disarray, with trucks and community members blockading the N2 freeway near the Nseleni township for about a week. Video: Supplied.

Police used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd and two firearms were found and eight people were arrested,” she said.

Mbhele said the suspects appeared in court on Tuesday and were remanded in custody until next Tuesday.

Mbhele said 30 people were arrested and on Tuesday they would be making their formal bail application in court.

“A crime is a crime and police are following processes regardless of agreements made in meetings,” she said.

The state of unrest in Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast has thrown local businesses into disarray, with trucks and community members blockading the N2 freeway near the Nseleni township for about a week. Video Supplied.

A number of young men who are said to be whoonga addicts were reportedly badly assaulted by community members on Friday. 

uMhlathuze Municipality spokesperson Mdu Ncalane said they hoped a meeting they had on Wednesday with all the affected parties would return things to normal in Richards Bay.

Ncalane said mayor Mduduzi Mhlongo engaged with the top leadership of the Richards Bay Taxi Associations to reach an amicable solution pertaining to the unrest that led to the shutdown of business operations in the Richards Bay CBD on Wednesday.

“We have had hard and frank talks with the Richards Bay Taxi industry leadership and shared our concerns in the area of their operations. They have also raised concerns over the operations of the SAPS as well as the arrest of their drivers, which is an issue currently at the courts. 

“We have agreed to some possible immediate solution and committed to facilitating further engagements with an intention to get long-lasting solutions,” says Mhlongo.

Mhlongo further engaged with SAPS and other security cluster sectors to work on remedying the issues causing public unrest in Richards Bay. He also tasked city officials to take swift actions in the notorious building in the CBD touted as the drug den supplying the vagrants around the city.

Following the engagements between the mayor and the taxi leadership, trucks that blockaded the N2 were swiftly removed and motorists were also free to move on the N2 highway and eNseleni entrance route, Ncalane said.

President of the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry Thabani Shale said Richards Bay was an economic hub of the province and violent disruption impacted logistics when it came to imports and exports.

“This happened at the beginning of the week so this week’s business has been affected, especially small to medium businesses who saw most employees not pitching up to work because of the instability,” he said.

KZN MEC for Community Safety and Liaison Mxolisi Kaunda has condemned the incident and called on members of the community to desist from taking the law into their hands. 

“We acknowledge that crime is a challenge in the area and police are working around the clock to ensure that it is eradicated. Equally, members of the community must not engage in criminal activities to fight crime,” Kaunda said.

He reiterated that police will spare no effort in apprehending criminals and those who are behind violent public protests.

Meanwhile, yesterday morning, a service delivery protest broke out in KwaMbonambi, 30km north of Richards Bay.

According to police, by Wednesday the road in Phathane was still closed due to protests and police were monitoring the situation.

Daily News

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