‘Let it be a vote for progress, for recovery’: Ramaphosa calls for unity and end of looting

Ramaphosa said government was taking no chances. President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned violence, looting, and attacks on businesses linked to anti-illegal immigration protests, warning that the government will act to protect lives, property, and lawful businesses. Addressing the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s 170th anniversary gala dinner in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Ramaphosa warned that criminals were exploiting tensions around illegal migration to stoke instability and target businesses. Attacks Ramaphosa said attacks on businesses will not be tolerated, adding that concerns over illegal immigration must not be used as a pretext for criminality or to pit communities against one another. LIVE interactive map, latest news, multimedia and more! View Map He added that investment cannot thrive where there’s lawlessness. “There are those who are exploiting public sentiment around illegal migration to stir up communities and to provide cover for criminality,” he said. ‘No chances’ The president noted that several small businesses in eThekwini had recently been hit by looting and vandalism, while an investigation was underway into the killing of a man in the Durban CBD. While describing the incidents as isolated, Ramaphosa said government was taking no chances. “I have authorised the deployment of the South African National Defence Force in the province until the end of November,” he said. Floods The president’s remarks came as he painted a picture of a city rebuilding and regaining momentum after years of setbacks, including the 2021 unrest and the devastating floods that struck KZN in 2022. “When I testified before the South African Human Rights Commission in 2022, I said that time would show that we stood as one. We refused to be divided. And we were determined to rebuild,” Ramaphosa said. Progress He praised the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry for helping to lead recovery efforts, saying business and government had worked together to restore economic activity and repair damaged infrastructure. Ramaphosa pointed to several signs of progress, including R124.5 billion in investment commitments secured at the recent KwaZulu-Natal Investment Conference, growing tourism numbers and improving employment figures. “The signs of Durban’s recovery are clear. They paint a picture of a city regaining its momentum,” he said. Durban port He also highlighted improvements at the Port of Durban, which was recently named the most improved container port in the world, and said efforts to improve freight rail and port operations were beginning to yield results. Despite these gains, Ramaphosa acknowledged that significant challenges remain. “Service delivery problems in the metro, especially with water, continue to hold back recovery. There is still a significant infrastructure backlog that is constraining greater investment and better services for the people of the city,” he said. Elections With South Africans heading to the polls on 4 November, Ramaphosa called for unity and urged residents not to allow divisions to undermine the progress achieved. “Let it be a vote for progress. Let it be a vote for recovery. Let it be a vote for shared prosperity for the people of eThekwini,” he said.