Attack And Looting Of Somalian Nationals And Shops Is An Act Of Criminality: Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

Issued on behalf of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Executive Mayor, Councillor Benson Fihla and the entire Council by Communications and Media Management Office.

On behalf of the peace loving and friendly people of Nelson Mandela Bay, I would like express my disappointment and disgust at the acts of criminality that have been seen across the City. The attacks and looting of the Somalian nationals shops has put a shame on the people of the City, who have for the past years made a name as one of the friendliest in the world.

We want to put it straight and clear, these incidents are criminal, cowardly, irresponsible and inexcusable to say the least.

An alleged act of criminality by a Somalian national can never justify the looting and attack of innocent people who are an integral part of our communities.

South Africa is a Constitutional Democratic country, rule of law and the respect of human Rights is core to our democracy as a nation.  

We can never allow people to take the law into their own hands. We condemn these acts in the strongest possible terms. We call upon the law enforcement agencies to act strongly without hesitation to those who are found to be responsible for this chaos.

We also send our deepest condolences to the family of the boy who was killed in the initial incident that led to the incidents that we have seen across the city.

As the leadership of the Nelson Mandela Bay we will be visiting the family of the deceased young man to give support and share their pain.

We will also be visiting the affected Somalian nationals in different areas of the City. We call upon the people of Nelson Mandela Bay to reclaim their City from these criminal elements. Let us work together to bring normality and peace.

Working together we can build better communities.

Port Elizabeth police arrest 10 people for looting Somali-owned shops

At least 10 people are reported to have been arrested by Port Elizabeth police after the looting and burning of Somali-owned shops. More than 10 shops in KwaZakhele and New Brighton, two of Port Elizabeth’s biggest townships, were attacked.

The attacks followed the arrest of a Somali man after he allegedly shot and killed a local 30-year-old man outside a shop in New Brighton on Saturday evening.

The man was allegedly involved in an altercation with a shop owner over air time.

The ANC in the Eastern Cape urged police to stop the violence on Monday.

“Any type of violence, including looting of shops owned by Somali nationals is illegal, wrong and has no place in South Africa,” ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said in a statement.

“The SA Police Service [SAPS] members are the first and last line of defence for our communities, and we call on them to use the law and public order policing techniques to stop this wave of violence.”

Mabuyane said the ANC in the province was calling on residents in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

“Somali nationals must also stop using violence to resolve challenges they face but must put their trust in the police to deal with any challenge.

“Violence will not help us deal with any situation but will make matters worse for our people,” he said.

Police spokesperson Miranda Mills said two shops were looted and burnt in Ntintili street, and a car parked outside was set alight.

“According to a witness there was an argument between the suspect and the victim. The [police] arrested the suspect and the firearm used... was recovered,” said Mills.

The man was expected to appear in court soon.

Several people have been arrested in connection with the looting incidents and are also due to appear in court on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, police had since moved some foreign nationals out of the area more police officers had been deployed to patrol the area.

2013 National Heritage Month: Reclaiming, Restoring And Celebrating Our Living Heritage

Taking a tune from the 2013 National Heritage Month theme, "reclaiming, restoring and celebrating our living heritage" the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality partnered with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan university Anthropology Students and the youth of Uitenhage to repair and clean the Langa Memorial Site in Uitenhage, Kwalanga on Wednesday (11 September 2013).

The project was a start of a number of projects that the municipality will embark on during the Heritage Month. A huge enthusiasm was displayed as the students and the youth rolled their sleeves to work on the historic site. 

The aim of the repairs and cleaning was to mobilise youth to work with the municipality to clean and preserve the country’s National Heritage sites. It was also to instil pride within our communities to take care of our rich heritage especially as the country celebrates National Heritage Month.

The Langa Memorial is one of the Heritage Sites around the City that have experienced vandalism. Present and leading the repairs and cleaning was Ward 50 Councillor Zolani Ncwadi.

Vuyo Dlamini, a first year Tourism student at NMMU expressed his desire for further developments to be made so that South Africans can be taught of their history. His understanding or interpretation of heritage is that it is memorial sites like the Langa Memorial which are “preserved and protected for future generations.” 

The key to preserving our country’s heritage he says “is to look at it as a marathon; preservation of our heritage will not come over night. It is a marathon everyone should be involved in.”

On the 21^st of March 1985 a group of people from Langa gathered to march to Kwanobuhle just 10 km’s away to attend a commemorative service of the 25 year anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre. The commemorative service had been banned by the police resulting in the shooting of between 20 and 43 people by the apartheid police.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela unveiled the Langa Memorial on the 21^st of March 2000 in memory of the Sons and Daughters who sacrificed for the freedom of our country.

Nelson Mandela Bay Tackles Illegal Dumping By Converting Illegal Dumping Sites Into Children Playing Parks

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s commitment to create complete human settlement and sustainable communities is gaining momentum. 

Through its Public Health Directorate led by Councillor Patricia Ndlovu, the Municipality has embarked on a project to eliminate illegal dumping sites by converting them into much needed children playing parks.

The project is part of the broader programme by the City to eliminate Illegal Dumping and create sustainable communities. 

The Executive Mayor Councillor Benson Fihla will officially launch the programme by opening one of the converted illegal dumping sites that is now a fully equipped children playing park in New Brighton - Hlawula Street area also known as Maqanda, tomorrow (12 September 2013). 

Heritage Month 2013: Nelson Mandela Bay

A launch for Heritage Month Events, organised by Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Arts and Culture Directorate, led by Councillor Nomamerika Magopheni, takes place today at Langa Memorial in Maduna Street, Kwalanga, in Uitenhage.

The event is held to officially launch the Municipality’s Heritage Month events that will be held in different areas across the City.

Councillor Magopheni will lead a group of municipal officials, unemployed youth and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Tourism and Anthropology students for a cleaning and minor repair exercise at the Langa Memorial.