ANC Musa Dladla Region condemns economic destruction

The ANC Musa Dladla Region has condemned the ongoing, widespread violent protest action, looting of shops and damaging of infrastructure by protesters demanding the release of incarcerated former president Jacob Zuma.

ANC regional chairperson Mdu Mhlongo believes it will take years for the country to recover from the economic destruction.

‘As the Musa Dladla region, we support former president Zuma, but we are against the destruction of the economy and the damaging of infrastructure.

‘We understand the inhabitants of this country have the right to show their anger through peaceful demonstrations.

‘But in this case, we believe there is some legal option that can be explored to rectify his conviction. Damaging of infrastructure and looting of shops is not one of them.

‘We also believe these demonstrations have been hijacked by criminal elements, resulting in the looting of shops and malicious damage to property such as trucks. We call for calm and order. Let us allow our judiciary to finalise the matter as it is before them,’ he said.

Mhlongo believes Zuma will be afforded a fair opportunity today to state his case before the Constitutional Court where he applied for a rescission of his sentence. Mhlongo also refuted the claim that Zuma’s incarceration was a result of divisions within the ANC.

‘That statement is being made by some political parties, which I believe is to insinuate that the judiciary is being captured. These are the very same political parties who have faith in the independence of our judiciary system. They are giving us contradicting statements by trivialising this matter.

This matter is of the entire community, not the ANC.’

Mhlongo said, according to the law, the sentence imposed after one has been convicted of contempt of court is not more than six months, and carries the option of a fine.

‘In this case, a former president was sentenced to 15 months with no option of a fine.

Our understanding is that the judiciary only implements the law and doesn’t make laws. But we hope that today, he will be afforded a fair chance to state his case,’ Mhlongo said.

Damages

KZN MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Peggy Nkonyeni and MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Ravi Pillay have been directed by KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala to monitor and assess the extent of damage to property following the recent spate of violent protests.

Part of the monitoring included assessing police visibility in the area, which was among the worst affected.

A total 37 trucks had been torched in various parts of the province (28 were torched in Mooi River, 6 on the N2 in Zululand, 1 in Umgababa, 1 in Lidgetton, and 1 on the R603).

Conservative estimates are that the damage to private and public property is approximately R100-million – this information, however, is still being collated.

With KwaZulu-Natal having two strategic ports, this disruption will have a negative economic impact on other parts of the country.