Durban - The IFP in KwaZulu-Natal says it is shocked by the killing of four people at the Samkelisiwe tavern in Sweetwaters, Pietermaritzburg, and called for KZN Police Commissioner, General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to institute an urgent investigation.
The deceased are aged between 30 and 45. Charges of murder and attempted murder are being investigated.
IFP spokesperson for community safety and liaison in KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Blessed Gwala says the party is concerned that similar incidents have occurred in Gauteng, with liquor outlets hotspots for criminal activity.
“We urge the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) to investigate the legality of the mushrooming taverns, which have become targets of criminality. This province cannot afford more liquor outlets, as it already has over 6 000 legal outlets. This is a recipe for disaster, as police officers are far outnumbered. Further, the IFP calls for heightened compliance campaigns to ensure safety and compliance,” said Gwala.
Gwala urged law enforcement to apply strict regulations to taverns and shebeens; particularly as regards the age of the patrons.
“We also call for owners to install surveillance cameras and provide maximum security for places of leisure.
“Burdened with a tragic past, due in large, to political violence, this province cannot tolerate this kind of incidence, where innocent people are attacked while at a social gathering. This will not only impact the already struggling hospitality industry, but it will leave a bitter taste for the province, which has suffered multiple murders in the recent past,” he added.
Commissioner Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi in a statement on Sunday announced that he has deployed maximum resources to handle the tavern incident.
Speaking in reaction to the tavern shooting in Pietermaritzburg, ANC spokesperson in the Moses Mabhida Region, Njabulo Mtolo, said said the party is extremely distressed by the recent surge of murders and other violent acts of criminality taking place in our communities.
“This anarchy is pushing our region to the brink. It has now reached unprecedented levels, as criminals rob, hijack, kidnap and kill our people daily, pervading unspeakable horror in our communities. The basic principles articulated in the Freedom Charter and the constitutional guarantees of safety, security and comfort; freedom of trade; and freedom of movement have been severely curtailed,”he said.
He said while the South African Police Services and other related law enforcement agencies need to strengthen their capabilities, fighting crime should not be seen as the sole responsibility of the government.
“It is only a united action from street and community level that will free us from this scourge of criminality that has engulfed our society. As Moses Mabhida Region, we call on all our people to support and work with their street committees and CPFs in a united and consolidated manner to reclaim our streets.
“We will further engage relevant police officials in an effort to devise strategies and mobilise additional resources, within our region, to assist in combating crime and ensure that our police are an effective instrument of servicing our people,” said Mtolo.