The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, has called for an end to attacks on foreign owned shops in KwaMashu, north of Durban, saying that everything should be done to ensure that whatever difference exists between the shop owners and those involved in the attacks should be amicably resolved.
Mchunu was reacting to the latest attack on Tuesday (13 January 2015) this week, where a shop owned by a foreign national was allegedly attacked and petrol-bombed in Siyanda, KwaMashu. Reports indicate that the owner of the shop is recovering from hospital after he was seriously injured during this attack.
Today (15 January 2015), Mchunu called for peace and restraint, urging any witnesses of this latest attack to report the information to the police immediately so that the perpetrators could be brought to book.
“We need to get to the bottom of these attacks. We urge the community of KwaMashu to make sure that these come to an end. Our teams are already on the ground in KwaMashu where they are working with those concerned in this unfortunate matter to urge and cajole them to pursue the route of dialogue in resolving this matter.
“With the police keeping an eye on the situation and the on-going interactions with the concerned groupings, we remain confident that this situation is going to be resolved. We are encouraged that some of the concerned people have requested meetings with those in the authority. These meetings are being organised and we urge that they take place urgently,” he said.
Media contact:
Sipho Khumalo
Cell: 082 682 6437
E-mail: Sipho.khumalo@comsafety.gov.za
Kwanele Ncalane
Cell: 072 803 1462/079 6995755
E-mail: Kwanele.ncalane@kzntransport.gov.za
