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MEC calls for peace at violence-wracked KwaMashu hostel

Mxolisi Kaunda Picture: ANCKZN twitter
Mxolisi Kaunda Picture: ANCKZN twitter

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport‚ Community Safety and Liaison Mxolisi Kaunda made a passionate plea on Sunday to warring factions at the KwaMashu hostel north of Durban to bury their differences and rather work for peace and stability.

Kaunda was addressing thousands of people at a packed stadium in KwqaMashu at a gathering attended by political arch rivals the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) the ANC and the National Freedom Party (NFP) to pray for peaceful political co-existence and the holding of free and fair elections at the hostel on August 3.

He told the hostel inmates that it was the responsibility of all people of KwaZulu-Natal to work for peace and to work for the creation of the atmosphere that was conducive to the holding of free and fair elections.

“We owe it to present and future generations to create a stable‚ prosperous and investor-friendly KwaZulu-Natal. It begins with all of us peacefully embracing one another‚ being tolerant to one another and working for peaceful political co-existence.

“I have no doubt that this is the singular objective of this prayer meeting. We say bravo to the organisers of this event. Keep up the good work‚” said Kaunda.

KwaMashu and Glebe hostels have in the recent past been ravaged by violence.

Kaunda said joint efforts by political leaders‚ the government and police had gone a long way towards stabilising political violence at the hostel but that the conflict now seemed to have been “hijacked” by criminal elements‚ with people continuing to die.

“…as the government we remain concerned that the KwaMashu hostel now remains the haven for all kinds of criminals. We are aware that nefarious crimes such as bank robberies‚ plotting for taxi violence and all kinds of crimes are being hatched here.

“Also the place is now being used as the hide-out for criminals. Today‚ let us together say enough is enough. Let this be a peaceful residence with political tolerance and peaceful political co-existence‚” urged Kaunda.

He said the government was doing everything possible to stabilise the situation a the hostel‚ including rebuilding the nearest police station and beefing up police deployment.

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