Signs outside the resort were burnt by protesters.
Guests at Natal Spa had to be evacuated to safe zones after hundreds of weapon-wielding protesters descended on the popular holiday resort on Friday morning, reports Vryheid Herald.
Witnesses said the angry mob used pangas and knobkerries to destroy the doors, windows, and fridges at the resort’s shop, also making their way down to the pools. They demanded that staff abandon their duties, or risk being killed.
ALSO READ: Mpumalanga protesters get paid to clean up their mess
Along the Natal Spa Road, fences were taken down, signage was set alight, and there were even reports of cars being stoned and motorists being dragged out of their vehicles.
Fences were destroyed as panga-wielding protesters stormed Natal Spa.
Zululand SAPS communication officer Captain Nkosie Gwala said the protesters began gathering at on the Natal Spa Road at about 4am, and had since grown to a mob of about 300 people by mid-morning.
“Many of [the] guests are attempting to leave the resort because they feel it is no longer safe for them to be there, but we are discouraging them from leaving until the protesters have dispersed completely and we know it is safe for them to go,” said Captain Gwala.
At the time of publication, roughly 11 people were arrested and the crowd had started to disperse, but motorists are still warned to avoid the area until tensions subside.
Natal Spa staff are apprehensive that more violence is imminent, having heard one of the protesters brazenly tell the police: “How long are you going to be here? When you leave, we are coming back.”
Management and police are in discussions as to how best to keep guests safe. One-hundred-and-thirty guests are expected to check-in at the resort today (Friday).
Henk Barnard of Natal Spa told the Vryheid Herald that, despite thousands of Rands of damage to the property, none of the guests was hurt during Friday morning’s riot.
Protesters said they were targeting Natal Spa and its neighbouring business Koubad Farm, calling the management racist and alleging they treated staff unfairly.
Thoko Mkwanazi, one of the protesters who was arrested, said the community would not rest until it received answers from the managers about the poor treatment of staff.
“There is no racism here, I promise,” said Barnard.
“I believe that there may be political motives to inciting the community. Whenever we have had to reprimand staff, the disciplinary procedure was followed according to the law. The aggrieved staff members could have gone to CCMA if there was a problem, but they didn’t. We actually have court orders against them and they are not allowed on the premises.”
Danie from Koubad Farm said he would comment at a later stage as he was busy putting measures in place to protect his property at the time of publication.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
