KwaZulu-Natal Premier defends army deployment to quell protests

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has defended his decision to request the deployment of the South African National Defence Force to assist police in quelling violent protests in Durban and surrounding areas. The unrest, which involved looting and the torching of vehicles, followed a Constitutional Court ruling regarding asylum applications for undocumented foreign nationals.

Ntuli stated that the military was deployed to prevent a repeat of the July 2021 unrest, which resulted in significant loss of life and the loss of over 30,000 jobs in the province. He emphasized that his priority is to protect lives, businesses, and infrastructure, asserting that his responsibility to secure the province is not subject to a popularity barometer.

The decision has faced criticism from within his own party, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). Deputy mayoral candidate Sizwe Sikhakhane criticized the move, suggesting it was incorrect to deploy the army against the province's own people. Ntuli responded by stating that the deployment was necessary because police were overwhelmed and to prevent the destruction of property from spreading to other areas like Pietermaritzburg.