DURBAN - LEADING figures in Pietermaritzburg have called for calm following an incident in which a man was killed in the KwaZulu-Natal capital, sparking infighting between a businessman and a customer.
Police spokesperson Captain Kholeka Mhlongo said Pietermaritzburg police are investigating cases of murder, attempted murder and assault following an incident that caused chaos on the city’s main street.
“It is alleged that yesterday (Wednesday) at 15:15, a fight broke out between two people on Church Street in Pietermaritzburg. The members of the community also joined the fight. As a result, three people were stabbed and wounded. The third male, who was also stabbed, ran into a nearby bank where he collapsed and died,” said Mhlongo.
She added that unconfirmed reports said the fight broke out after a firearm of a person was stolen but no one had come forward to lay a charge.
Msunduzi mayor Mzi Thebolla condemned the incident and said it was important for locals to continue living peacefully with their foreign counterparts.
“Any form of violence or attack on a human being can never be encouraged because South Africa is a constitutional democracy which places a high value on human life,” said Thebolla.
He said the city was working closely with the police to ensure that there was peace and order in the city. The mayor also warned against elevating any form of disagreement between locals and foreigners and labelling it as xenophobia.
“Even the organisation that I belong to, the ANC, emphasises co-operation among people regardless of their nationality, and that is the call we are making to the city’s residents,” he said.
Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business chief executive Melanie Veness also cautioned against fear-mongering and the spreading of false information.
“Our understanding is that this was a disagreement between a service provider and a client, and that is how it should be treated as opposed to looking at the nationalities of both,” said Veness.
She also appealed to the police to keep a close watch to ensure that law and order was maintained in the city.
Everything was normal in the city’s busiest street yesterday, with the usual trading taking place, but shop owners admitted to having been disturbed by Wednesday’s incident.
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