Durban - The police have assured people living in the potential flashpoints of KwaMashu and Phoenix in Durban that they won’t see a repeat of what happened during the July 2021 unrest where there were gruesome killings that sparked racial tensions between the Indian and black communities.
Led by the Minister of Police Bheki Cele on Saturday, the SAPS’ top brass, including the national police commissioner, Lt-Gen. Fannie Masemola and KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lt-Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, also assured the broader community of KwaZulu-Natal that the security forces are ready to protect communities during Monday’s national shutdown called by the EFF.
The checking of the state of readiness started in the notorious township of KwaMashu, which besides its high violent crime rate, it was the epicentre of looting and burning of businesses during the July 2021 unrest.
WATCH: Minister of Police, Bheki Cele & SAPS's top brass have concluded the Phoenix plaza walkabout where they assured shoppers that Monday would be a normal day despite being the day of the national shutdown called by the EFF. Shoppers lamented the high crime rate. @IOL pic.twitter.com/lYFzp12m1c
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) March 18, 2023
The state of readiness for the armed forces then moved to Phoenix, a predominantly Indian township across the Curnick Ndlovu highway from KwaMashu and Inanda.
During the July 2021 unrest, some residents of Phoenix organised themselves into vigilante groups, allegedly killing scores of people, some of whom were mistaken for looters, thus stoking historic racial tensions between the black and Indian communities.
PHOTOS: Police Minister, Bheki Cele, was in awe about the height of this Phoenix plaza shopper, saying she could have made a good police officer - perhaps in terms of visibility. @IOL pic.twitter.com/BqVMhtbJsX
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) March 18, 2023
Cele admitted to the media shortly after the parade in KwaMashu that although the entire South Africa is being watched prior to and during the national shutdown on Monday, the 2021 experience has made them to have a special focus on Durban – the epicentre of looting and destruction of property in 2021.
“We chose to come to eThekwini because it was the centre of problems … we want to see that everything is in order.
PHOTOS: The visit to Phoenix Plaza by the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, in pictures. While there, one shopper told him about violent crime in the nearby informal settlement between Phoenix and Inanda. @IOL pic.twitter.com/ZRrKkKo9nX
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) March 18, 2023
“But that does not mean that we are only working in eThekwini,” Cele told the media when asked what prompted them to stage the parade in KwaMashu out of all the places.
Regarding Phoenix, he said they don’t want to see any incident that may stoke racial tensions, as happened before.
PHOTOS: Police Minister, Bheki Cele, is now at Phoenix plaza to check their readiness ahead of the national shutdown called by the EFF. @IOL pic.twitter.com/QtmOCMoYkc
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) March 18, 2023
“One terrible thing that happened in that area (Phoenix) was the high level of deaths, it created a lot of racial tensions.
“That’s one thing we must avoid at all costs, maybe that's why that part of the area where we will go to when we finish here (the KwaMashu parade).
“To speak to the people, try to speak to people from all sides to say we should not come back to the racial (tensions),” Cele said, adding that also the people must work to prevent any incident that may result in racial tensions.
To the police officers deployed around Durban, Cele said they should remember that the area was hit hard in 2021.
WATCH: The joint security forces (SAPS and Durban Metro police) parade in KwaMashu in Durban ahead of the national shutdown called by the EFF on Monday. @IOL pic.twitter.com/EqRzEWxgme
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) March 18, 2023
Although he said they do not anticipate a repeat of that, should anyone go against the law, they must not hesitate to act, and do so firmly.
“This province, especially this region of policing, this district where there are 42 (police) stations in eThekwini, was hit hard.
PHOTOS: The SAPS and other security forces like Durban Metro police are having a parade in KwaMashu, north of Durban. This is to showcase their readiness ahead of the national shutdown on Monday. @IOL pic.twitter.com/knmKfkhz7m
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) March 18, 2023
“We are not saying we expect that, but for us to make sure that it doesn’t happen, we must be there and anybody that gets out of the way, anybody that gets out of the peaceful march, anybody that destroys property, anybody that begins to trample on the rights of other people, those people are breaking the law and the constitution said you will enforce the law,” Cele told his officers.
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