Tembisa unrest forces Harambee bus service to be suspended

The Harambee bus service in Ekurhuleni has been suspended until further notice amid the unrest in Tembisa, reports Kempton Express.

In the meantime, executive mayor Cllr Mzwandile Masina has called for calm and an immediate return of the rule of law in Tembisa. He has called on law enforcement agencies to monitor the area until normality is restored.

“Lawlessness of any kind will not be tolerated in the City of Ekurhuleni. Issues facing our communities must not be hijacked by thugs who wish to create an environment of anarchy for their own material benefit,” said Masina.

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“I appeal to citizens to respect all public and privately owned property, as any act of vandalism, theft or looting will be met with the full might of the law.

“We have also been informed of incidents of xenophobic violence in Tembisa. As the ANC-led coalition in Ekurhuleni, we still hold the ideals of the African Renaissance close to our hearts, and believe that all Africans must work together to overcome the current challenges confronting the continent.

“We cannot have a situation where South Africans use violence as a tool to turn on their fellow African brothers and sisters, no matter how bad their grievances are. What happened in Tembisa on Monday morning, must not be replicated anywhere else in the City,” said Masina.

MAYOR MASINA CALLS FOR CALM ‼️

“Lawlessness of any kind will not be tolerated in #CoE I appeal to citizens to respect all public and privately owned property, as any act of vandalism, theft or looting will be met with the full might of the law.” #xenophobia #tembisa #SAShutdown pic.twitter.com/mPmQySuocQ

— CITY OF EKURHULENI (@City_Ekurhuleni) September 2, 2019

‼️⚠️‼️The Harambee service has been suspended until further notice due to the unrest in #Tembisa. Apologies for the inconvenience caused to our valued commuters. pic.twitter.com/D0Rrs7iryb

— #HarambeeBRT (@HarambeeBRT) September 3, 2019

Ongoing raids are being conducted through the City’s weekly Siyaqhuba Accelerated Service Delivery Programme. During the raids, health and safety inspectors test edible goods being sold to the public and ensure that no dangerous or illegal substances are being sold.

Immigration officials are also on hand during the raids to verify that immigrants working in these small businesses are properly documented and are legally inside the country.

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