ANCYL Task Team in Phoenix to visit bereaved families

ANCYL Task Team in Phoenix to visit bereaved families

Members of the African National Congress (ANC) National Youth Task Team have made their way to Phoenix after last week's unrest and violence stoked racial tensions there and in neigbouring communities. 

Roads in Phoenix remain barricaded as violence continues looting protest
Steve Bhengu

They will meet with community leaders on Friday morning in the hope of finding an amicable solution to the grievances raised by residents. 


Spokesperson Sizophila Mkhize says they want to assist families whose loved ones are still missing and those who've had to lay them to rest. 


READ: 47 500 vaccine doses lost during unrest: Kubayi


"We will visit families of those who have lost their loved ones, those who are in grief just to comfort them and send our condolences because we believe that they are in pain. 


"They never saw this happening in a democratic South Africa. Worst part of it all is that there seems to be no massive arrests that are made. 


"So we are very disappointed at the police, very disappointed at the government in which they are handling the issue of Phoenix. We really feel like Black lives there in Phoenix and the surrounding areas really do not matter." 


A protest march calling attention to the lives lost is also set to be held from Durban's City Hall this morning. 


Phoenix was one of many KZN communities that patrolled access points and routes, after looters began hitting businesses last week.


Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu's slammed false reports that said that bodies had been piling up at the mortuary in Phoenix, after the unrest. 


She said that the remains of 35 people were yet to be claimed and identified. 


Meanwhile, Premier Sihle Zikalala assured the families of the victims who were killed in Phoenix during the violence that police are working on the murders.

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