Deployment of army unwarranted, say Alex residents
ALEX - Alex residents residents have reacted harshly to suggestions that government wants to deploy the army to patrol the township as a measure to curb xenophobia.
Residents that Alex News spoke to described the suggested deployment as ‘uncalled for and unwarranted’ as they claimed there was no fighting or wide spread attack and looting of foreign-owned shops in their community.
“What we have is an isolated incident of criminality by thugs who wanted to take advantage of the tense situation in other parts of the country to loot foreign-owned shops. We do not have anyone who is fighting someone here,”said an Induna resident who did not wanted to be named at the Madala Hostel..
“Look, [Julius] Malema was here last night and he spoke to people in the street in Alexandra. He never came to the hostel and we did not bother him either because he did not come to address us. If he had wanted to address [us], he knows the protocol for such an activity.
“We have indunas here who were appointed by Isilo SamaBandla [King Goodwill Zwelithin ka BhekuZulu] and that protocol has to be respected. It is after talking to those indunas that permission can be granted to him to address his Majesty’s subjects,” said the induna.
A well-known football coach who preferred to remain anonymous pointed out that there were running battles between the police and war mongers in the street of Durban, but because those where the President’s kith and kin, the army was not deployed.
“Why should peaceful people of Alex be sacrificed for incidents in other parts of the country? We have criminals here who want to take advantage of the situation and they should be dealt with through the usual channels of the law enforcement agents.”
Another resident said there was no war and hence there was no need for the deployment of the army. “I want to believe that this act is unwarranted and whoever is deploying them must consider his action and also accept the consequences of so doing.
“We have not beaten anybody for the simply reason that he or she is a foreigner, so we do not feel the soldiers are welcome. Arrest the criminals who steal and rob people but don’t punish the whole community for an isolated incident,” she said.
Do you think the deployment of the army is warranted in Alexandra? Tweet us @AlexNewsZA with your comments
