DA KZN calls for inquiry into Phoenix killings
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal says it supports the call for an inquiry into the Phoenix killings during the recent wave of unrest.
The party was in the area, north of Durban on Monday to hold a community dialogue following last month's riots in the province and Gauteng.
More than 20 people, some from neighbouring communities, were killed in Phoenix during that week in apparent vigilante attacks.
DA KZN leader Francois Rodgers said one condition must be met for such an inquiry.
"I think a commission of inquiry is what we need, but here's the important but the ANC can't have a commission of inquiry into itself. It needs to be a multi-party commission of inquiry where we ensure that we get to the bottom of the problem and the nucleus of the cause. You can’t be the judge and the jury."
READ: Phoenix #AllLivesMatter organiser: 'There is no racial tension'
During the unrest, some residents set up roadblocks, saying they were protecting homes and businesses in Phoenix.
At today's dialogue, resident Ridwan Mahomed said there should have never been a situation where ordinary citizens were called upon to do the work of police.
He said if it hadn't been for the failure of law enforcement officials to do their job, lives would not have been lost.
"What did you expect? I want to know what did you expect to happen. Emotions took control of people, but where was the professionals?
"So why all of a sudden are we being questioned in terms of what went down. I am not condoning the behaviour of people, but what I am saying from day one, we should have never been the road.
"We should have been manning roadblocks. We should have never been taking charge and protecting our own because we are not trained and we don't have the capabilities to do that."
