KZN Premier Meets Diplomats, International Investors In Gauteng Following Recent Civil Unrest and Looting

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala on Thursday held a provincial government engagement with international diplomats and investors in Gauteng to reassure them that the province is ready for business and to showcase the KZN Investment Book.

The meeting follows the recent civil unrest and looting in KwaZulu-Natal, which threatened to bring the province’s economy to a halt.

The information provided indicates that the unrest resulted in destruction across every sector of the provincial economy. Malls, shopping centres, hospitals, schools, warehouses, factories, banks, liquor outlets, delivery trucks and communication infrastructure, were among the destroyed infrastructure.

Zikalala said the shutting down of key arterial routes from the ports of Durban and Richards Bay had a devastating impact, not only to the provincial economy but disrupted the country’s supply chain logistics.

“At a social level the unrest threatened progress made since the end of apartheid in fostering unity non-racialism, non-sexism and a prosperous South