KwaZulu Natal businesses were operating normally on Friday morning after police warned that they were on high alert following anonymous calls earlier on social media for a national shutdown.
Reports across reliable multiple social media security channels on Friday indicated that the province’s roads, including the N2, N3 and M7, as well as the CBD, were clear throughout the night and in the morning.
However, an isolated incident occurred at Hammarsdale Mall and Boxer Store, where a crowd arrived on foot and in vehicles, purportedly to loot, at around 21h15 on Thursday. Taxi owners, the police and security firms attended the scene and dispersed the crowd.
On Thursday, the SA National Taxi Association distanced itself from the shutdown, saying categorically that it would not participate in the strike against rising fuel prices and that taxis would operate as usual. Instead, Santaco called for a meeting to discuss the impact of the rising petrol price with the KZN provincial government and premier Sihle Zikalala. The meeting is scheduled to take place today.
The KZN Department of Transport welcomed the taxi industry’s decision to not participate in the proposed national shutdown.
“We welcome and commend the decision taken by Santaco not to participate in the shutdown. Such a shutdown would have had undesirable implications in the province, which is recovering from COVID-19, July unrests, and the recent floods that have been experienced by the province,” said MEC for Transport and Community Safety and Liaison, Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni.
“Any mass action that will disrupt the economy will further harm our recovery efforts. As government we have agreed to meet with Santaco to discuss the impact of the petrol price hike and to look at possible interventions. All businesses will be open and public transport will be available. We will, however, monitor the situation very closely.”
She said the province had the security cluster on high alert for any possible disruptions.
National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure said in a statement on Thursday that police were on high alert and that intelligence operatives were monitoring the situation.
