Politicians join march against social ills
THE ANC's Musa Dladla Region leadership along with more than 100 of its supporters took to the streets of eSikhaleni on Friday.
This after a notable increase in crimes such as rape, car theft, house robberies, drug abuse and violence against women and children in many communities across uMhlathuze.
The crowd gathered at the township's swimming pool and marched peacefully to eSikhawini police station.
The march was led by ANC Musa Dladla Regional Secretary Tholi Gwala and was attended by former mayor of uMhlathuze, Mduduzi Mhlongo.
Addressing supporters before the march, Mhlongo said the ANC stands firmly against GBV and all forms of crime or wrongdoing in the community.
‘We will demonstrate a peaceful march to voice our anger against the issue of increased violence and crime which threatens to ruin our communities,' said Mhlongo ahead of the march.
'Our biggest request is to work hand-inhand with the police as ANC volunteers to build safer communities.
'We are, therefore, sacrificing ourselves first to say the ANC is against any form of criminality, abuse of women and children, cattle theft, house burglaries, rape, car theft, drug abuse, and any form of wrongdoing.
'The ANC stands for building united, prosperous and peaceful communities, and must lead by example in the community. We cannot achieve that while there is still violence against women and children.'
After the march, they handed over a memorandum of their demands and requests to the eSikhawini police station manager, which lists increased police presence in communities among the group's main appeals.
‘We are extremely concerned with the murders, and the abuse of men, women and children in eSikhaleni. While we see police are acting against these crimes, we feel their efforts are not enough,' said Gwala.
'We are marching to plead with the police to stand up and fight this issue in uMhlathuze as a whole.
'We have Unizulu students marching with us because they are facing scary
situations in KwaDlangezwa and are without a functional police station to address these issues in that area.
'We plead with the police to increase their presence and visibility in these areas,' he said.
Gwala’s sentiments follow a number of recent protests by Unizulu students, who claim to have been terrorised by criminals who rob them off-campus.