KZN Premier defends call for army to help quell violent protests

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has defended his decision to call for the deployment of the army to quell violent protests in Durban after criticism from fellow IFP member and deputy mayoral candidate Sizwe Sikhakhane.

Sikhakhane had slammed Ntuli’s decision, suggesting it was wrong for him to call for the army against the people of the province.

Sikhakhane was at the Durban Magistrate’s Court to support three March and March activists facing charges linked to last week’s violent protests.

Speaking at an IFP event in Nkandla, Ntuli said the army was deployed on Saturday to support the police after they got overwhelmed by the protesters.

He said his government supports people’s peaceful protests against illegal immigration.

However, he denounced the destruction of property, saying it only serves to take the province backwards.

“I know that there are people who are critical of the decision.

But their criticism is due to their lack of understanding of the plans that were being made to destroy property throughout the province, because this was going to spread even beyond Durban.

They had already started burning tyres in Pietermaritzburg.

People must not mislead our people by speaking about things they know nothing about.

We will protect KwaZulu-Natal.” Video: Immigration Crisis | KZN Premier requests deployment of SANDF