Man dies in unrest ahead of deadline to quell protests in KZN
A murder case is being investigated after a man was killed during a violent protest in Durban this week.
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele says the incident happened on Tuesday, in Blackburn Village.
“A group of 1000 community members blockaded the N2 freeway with burning tyres. Community members were aggrieved by municipality officers ho had disconnecting illegal electricity connections,” she says, “Public Order Police contained the situation of the unruly community members and they were dispersed. A case of public violence was opened at Verulam police station for investigation. A case of murder was also opened as a 30-year-old man died”.
In July, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Mxolisi Kaunda set a deadline - which was yesterday - for government to quash illegal public protests.
READ: KZN government sets own deadline to end illegal protests
His spokesperson, Mluleki Mntungwa, concedes the problem persists.
“Our province continues to be plagued by illegal public protests, mainly service delivery and labour,” he says, “However since we announced the intervention by provincial government, we have seen successful intervening in some of the protests”.
Mntungwa says the provincial government now hopes to have wrested the problem by the end of the year.
He says of particular concern is the continued low conviction rate and that government plans to meet with law enforcement to address this specific issue.