‘It feels like a civil war,’ says Ekurhuleni resident

Ekurhuleni resident Dan Kumalo has every reason to be apprehensive. Under normal circumstances, Kumalo would find it easy to freely walk out to the shops and mingle with locals in his bustling Vosloorus neighbourhood.

But not anymore.

The ongoing multimillion-rand destruction of businesses, looting of shops, burning of trucks and the bombing of automated teller machines in Vosloorus has marked the lawlessness that has engulfed parts of South Africa – Alexandra, Johannesburg, and some areas of KwaZulu-Natal.

This in protest against the incarceration of former president Jacob Zuma, currently serving a 15-month sentence imposed for contempt of the Constitutional Court.

Kumalo said: “What we see around us is no protest but pure criminality and opportunism. Law-abiding citizens like myself are very afraid to go out.

“My son wanted me to buy a soccer ball for him to play, but I am now stuck – also unable to go out and buy bread. It feels like a civil war is looming and we are trapped, not knowing what to do.

“Only the army can help us in this situation because we can’t stand criminality.”

He said police inaction during the looting made them complicit to criminality.

“Police give excuses for not calling for reinforcements. People should support President Cyril Ramaphosa to take a hard stance on these violent protests – in line with a call by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

“With water and electricity affected, we are stuck because Eskom technicians cannot come out to help. Food trucks are also unable to come through to deliver food supplies in townships,” he said.

South African Communist Party activist Ndzipo Kalipa is also a Vosloorus resident.

He said: “Failure of law enforcement agencies like the police will leave us with no choice but to mobilise self-defence
units to guard township businesses against criminals. This is due to the helplessness of our society, facing criminal activities, with South African Police Service structures overwhelmed by crime.”