IFP slams tourist killing

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in KwaZulu-Natal yesterday said crime will chase away tourists in South Africa.

This comes after the death of a Chilean tourist who was killed and his body found with stab wounds in the coal mining town of Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal, an incident which the party said might scare off potential tourists.

“Crime will chase away tourists, that means for every tourist not coming, jobs could be lost and we cannot allow this. A lot of money is spent to promote tourism but crime is counterproductive, this is unacceptable,” IFP spokesperson Blessed Gwala said.

“Not a day goes by without a report of a crime incident in KZN. Crime and safety threats to residents and visitors alike are among the key issues that either make or break a tourism destination.

“KwaZulu-Natal has been marketing itself as a desirable tourism destination.”

Gwala said the mounting reports of crime against tourists, harassment, bag-snatching and worse still, the hijacking of cars, pursuits from airports and robberies, added to the killing of senior citizens, had sent alarm signals to the international community.

South Africa has a reputation as an unsafe country where you run a high risk of getting mugged, robbed, or hijacked.

Gwala said the IFP called on the SA Police Service to work around the clock to apprehend the suspect killers of 29-year-old Slavko “Kako”Yaksic. A body, believed to be Yaksic, was found this week. – ANA