Call for police station at strife-torn Glebelands

The NFP has called on Community Safety MEC Willies Mchunu to start building a police station at the violence-plagued Glebelands Hostel in Umlazi.

Johannesburg – The National Freedom Party (NFP) in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday called on the provincial MEC for Transport, Community Safety, and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, to start building a police station at the violence-plagued Glebelands Hostel in Umlazi, south of Durban.

The NFP visited Glebelands and held a meeting with residents on Monday at the hostel in which more than 60 people have been gunned down since last year.

Vikizitha Mlotshwa, NFP chairman in KwaZulu-Natal, told SABC’s UkhoziFM that the meeting with the hostel’s residents was a success, though many were apprehensive to attend it.

“People are now living in fear at Glebelands. They even fear to venture out, let alone go to work. As a result, some of them have lost their jobs and joined millions of unemployed people,” Mlotshwa told the radio station on Monday night.

The ongoing conflict at Glebelands was suspected to be over a variety of issues, including tribalism, political alignment and other factors, as well as control of rooms at the hostel.

Just last month, eThekwini ANC councillor, Zodwa Sibiya – a 47-year-old PR councilor in the area who was set to contest the local government elections – was shot and killed one Saturday night.

This week, KZN police conducted raids at Glebelands hostels where a number of dangerous weapons were recovered and three arrests were made.

But Mlotshwa said the success of these raids were short-lived because there was no permanent police presence at the hostel.

“We urge MEC Willies Mchunu to consider establishing a mobile police station at Glebelands so that people can be able to report crime quickly, and be able to walk freely at night feeling safe. As of now, people are living like birds and are in a state of shock,” Mlotshwa said.

Mlotshwa himself recently survived unharmed an assassination attempt which left his car riddled with bullet holes when two gunmen opened fire on him while he was driving home in Bergville last month.

Mlotshwa also said during the meeting that attendees had agreed that there must be an Imbizo between eThekwini Municipality, the South African Police Service, the Independent Electoral Commission and the residents of Glebelands Hostel to talk frankly about the challenges they faced.

“We would also like the government to roll out the Extended Public Works Programme in the hostel because the place is filthy while the people are unemployed,” Mlotshwa said.

African News Agency