DURBAN - THERE has to be consequences for the damages suffered and lives and livelihoods lost in last month's unrest in KwaZulu-Natal, says DA leader John Steenhuisen.
He said that in the coming weeks, councillors would meet stakeholders in their wards to discuss service delivery and safety issues, in an effort to better protect the communities.
In July, shops, shopping centres, businesses and warehouses were looted and some burnt after #FreeJacobZuma protests turned violent.
Steenhuisen was in KZN today where he launched the party's programme aimed at rebuilding and protecting the province.
"Three weeks after the events, it’s still hard to come to terms with the sheer scale of the devastation and plunder, and it is critical that justice is done – and seen to be done – for not only the looters and instigators but also those who failed in their constitutional duty to protect citizens," he said.
"But just as important, we need to pick up the pieces in these damaged communities and bring people together around the task of putting broken buildings, businesses and lives back together again."
Steenhuisen said KZN did not need race-baiting and scapegoating.
"Already the DA, through its leadership and councillors, has been at the forefront of this effort to safeguard threatened communities and clean up the mess. Now, through our project to Unite, Rebuild and Protect our Communities, we will take advantage of this momentum by extending an invitation to all roleplayers and influential voices to join us in these efforts."
The meetings aim to bring together traditional leaders, religious leaders, neighbourhood watches, ratepayers associations, community policing forums and any other significant voices of leadership in the communities.
On the agenda will be service delivery steps that must be taken to improve safety, as well as discussions around ways to strengthen social cohesion and stamp out the poisonous narrative of racial scapegoating.
IOL