DEAR Editor;
The failed attempt at insurrection that played out into the widescale looting and burning of business enterprises in parts of the country (and KZN in particular), has given us all cause to reflect on the carnage, to review our priorities, and to consider our future as individuals and as a nation.
Much has been said and written about the internal conflict in the ANC that sits at the root of the events we were caught up in.
Our letter is not intended to deal with that topic.
We wish to give account of how we responded, and how we will move forward in the interests of rebuilding the physical structures and the economic activity that has been lost, improving our readiness in the future to meet threats and disasters and finally, building better relationships in and between communities.
At the outset we took a collective decision that our role must be to assist, participate and initiate any form of help and relief that was possible under such unprecedented circumstances.
This took the form of physically engaging in communications, structures and operations established for the protection of person and property.
Our time and efforts went into active participation in community-based initiatives and community aid programmes. Our privilege was to witness and be part of the generosity and goodwill that shone through the cloud of doom and fear that descended on the nation on July 12.
We have subsequently met with some business owners, residents and security organisations, to get their perspectives on the events and to hear their immediate concerns.
Our response arising from these engagements is to continue our active support of civilian initiatives to meet future risks, to use the momentum gained to spur on the establishment of crime prevention structures, to motivate and lobby for government support programs for affected persons, to lobby for private sector support programs to affected persons and to render our assistance with social relief schemes.
Our mission is to use our role and function as public representatives to promote economic growth that will deliver jobs for local people, promote respect for the rule of law and build better relationships between stakeholders.
We witnessed the start of this process with the Saps and taxi associations during the past week. The finer detail in our response is too lengthy to be articulated in this letter, but as we work towards the achievement of these goals we will consult with our communities and publish our proposals and actions accordingly.
We say a big thank you to the Saps, the local security companies, the local businesses, the civilian organisations and those very generous people who gave so much food aid in so short a timeframe, to keep food on the table of so many families.
We draw inspiration from our experience and we believe in a better future despite this setback in our young democracy.
DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE CAUCUS IN UMDONI
Councillors Edwin Baptie, John East, Ravi Maharaj, David Mdluli, Saleem Mahomed, Shara Singh and Shamila Sookhraj.
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