Mall march rampage
THE ANCYL has threatened instability, not only at the newly opened Ballito Junction mall but at all business centres in the KwaDukuza municipality, should the demands for economic transformation not be addressed.
“As the ANCYL we strongly believe that non-compliance and failure to adhere to our demands have the potential of causing unnecessary instability not only in this mall but in every business centre in this region,” read their memorandum.
The league’s memorandum was handed over yesterday after thousands of marchers stormed the gates of the newly opened Ballito Junction mall, forcing their way into the parking lot.
People at the mall who were standing in the parking lot had to flee as marchers tore off boom gates while others threw stones.
March organisers, the ANCYL in the Greater KwaDukuza region, had to step in to calm marchers, some of whom had walked 20km in sweltering heat to reach the R1.8 billion mall, which opened yesterday.
Police maintained a high presence, ready with stun grenades and water cannons. Private security companies also came out in force.
The march started in KwaDukuza but people waiting in Shaka’s Head grew impatient waiting for the march to reach them. As soon as they were joined by two bus loads from Ndwedwe, they set off for the mall. However, on the R102, police halted the march, compelling the protesters to wait for the other group. While waiting, they set fire to sugar cane fields on either side of the road.
It took more than an hour for the bigger group to join them and they were allowed to proceed.
Once they crossed the N2 into Ballito, a third group waiting near the mall joined them, swelling the crowd to thousands strong.
They were stopped by police at an intersection and told their memorandum would be accepted by KwaDukuza mayor Ricardo Mthembu.
The ANCYL refused this, demanding they be allowed to go to the entrance of the mall, where they would hand over the memorandum to the mall’s developers.
As police went to reposition themselves in front of the mall entrance ahead of the stop point, marchers ran down an embankment, then up the ramp into the mall property. At first, security stood their ground, remaining behind as people fled to lock the gate. But they also fled when the marchers broke down the gate and marched into the parking lot.
Leaders of the ANCYL started addressing them, with police maintaining a formation behind them.
A memorandum was handed over which contained a list of demands. Among them was that the youth of the region be given preference when it came to employment opportunities.
“People who are historically disadvantaged are prioritised in allocation of shops in the mall.
“Emerging local business people must be afforded the opportunity to partner with well-established businesses and be capacitated so they can make a meaningful contribution to the economy in the region,” read the demands.
They also wanted there to be local beneficiation in the supply of goods and services to the mall, that businesses in the mall pay living wages to workers and commit to employing contract workers parttime.
Mthembu said the municipality was encouraging investors to come to their area, which would boost their economy.
“I think in the first place we should have met and discussed issues before we even come to the stage of marching. But they (the ANCYL) are an organisation, we respect them. We hope that it (the march) will end without any disruption or violation of anyone’s rights as we have respected their right to march.
“It should not scare investors. We are going to manage the situation,” said Mthembu.
On the threat of instability, Mthembu said: “This country has a very good history of solving everything on the table, so we are going to invite them to the table.”
The memorandum was collected by mall chief executive Geraldine Jorgensen.
A worker at the mall, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said a small group of protesters did enter the mall.
“They came to the entrance of the store and we closed.”
The worker said the store was closed for a short while before police removed the protesters.
The marchers dispersed at about 3.30pm.
The league’s regional secretary in the region, Musa Zondi, said the marchers were provided with transport to return home.
The mall developers said they didn’t think there had been too much fuss and that they had had a beautiful opening day.