A high-powered government leadership has urged eThekwini communities to restore stability and rebuild a condusive environment to attract investments.
During visits to quell public unrest in Marianhill, Chatsworth, Clermont and Pinetown today, 15 July, eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu engaged with community leaders across various sectors on working together to rebuild eThekwini.
Mayor Kaunda said creating a condusive environment for attracting investments will contribute to the revival of the local economy and for creating jobs.
The City-wide community engagements began yesterday where Mayor Kaunda met community leaders from Phoenix, Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu, Verulam and Hillcrest.
"The engagements are assisting us to source input from community leaders on how we can work together to quell the unrest and to start rebuilding our city. Rebuilding the City and its economy is a collective responsibility," Mayor Kaunda elaborated.
Preliminary high-level estimates on the economic impact of the unrest state that:
• R1 billion loss of stock
• R15 billion of damage to property and equipment
• 55 000 informal traders affected.
• 40 000 formal businesses impacted including small businesses, and a large portion of those may never recover.
• 129 000 jobs at risk and a large portion of that may be lost.
Mayor Kaunda applauded communities that protected infrastructure during the unrest. However, he stressed that this should always be done lawfully and with the involvement of the police.
The delegation applauded residents that have begun initiatives to clean-up their communities.
Minister Sisulu called for calm and unity amongst eThekwini communities.
"This public unrest is not a true representation of South Africa. It is not who we are. Let us unite and work together to stabilise our communities,“ she said.