Korsten violence could have been prevented

SA is a bubbling pot of anger and frustration, spilling over every so often and causing mayhem in the process.

That was evident this week when in the violent flare-up in Korsten.

What transpired was pure criminality, from whichever vantage point you view it.

The assault on a Durban Road shop owner’s son, the burning of taxis, the brandishing of weapons out in public — all of it is inexcusable.

But, it was not unexpected.  Those who are familiar with Gqeberha, and Korsten in particular, would know that Durban Road is a particularly disorderly, filthy area.

It has always been an area of trade, bustling with shoppers on foot and motorists slowly passing through. 

And then there is the taxi rank in the midst of the bustling trade — both industries feeding off and reliant on each other.

About four months ago, our sister publication The Herald reported on the frustration of organised businesses in the area who were begging for intervention from the municipality to enforce its bylaws.

At the time, businessman and lawyer Ashraf Limbada, speaking on behalf of the Korsten Traders Forum, described the situation as chaotic, with no traffic enforcement and sanitation that is not up to scratch.

This week, Mohammed Rashid, staff and logistics manager at Thanda Bantu store, told a reporter from this newspaper that many people who conducted business in Durban Road were frustrated because there was inadequate law enforcement and people disregarded the rules of the road every day.

According to Rashid, Wednesday’s accident between a taxi driver and a foreigner — which sparked the mayhem that unfolded — happened because a taxi driver had to swerve to avoid hitting a pothole.

Now, had their cries for traffic and bylaw enforcement been heard and attended to, would the violence have unfolded this week?

We will never know as the legitimate business owners are continually frustrated, and even prejudiced, from conducting their trade in a safe, sanitary and well-managed environment.

The blow-up in Korsten this week is an example of the impact that poor service delivery can have on communities.

It raises anger and frustration until it finally bubbles over and spills into the streets — in the form of protests, looting and even physical altercations.

May the last few days serve as a painful reminder to our public figures and civil servants that their inaction and poor delivery of services can have devastating consequences on the communities they are meant to serve.

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