DURBAN - A Durban councillor says that protest action over food parcels at a Shallcross informal settlement was an act of sabotage.
Preven Vedan, the local councillor said he and his team received threats from a group of people earlier in the week.
“On Monday last week, an individual called for a meeting with the business sector) and Chairperson of ward 71 - ANC branch. At the meeting, this individual came there with about 20 other people and said that he is giving us seven days to raise an amount of one million Rand,” said Vedan.
“If that is not done, he then put three threats onto the table. I was not at the meeting, it was then reported back to me. I made my intentions clear: I will not be threatened,” added Vedan.
The councillor said that the group was also responsible for spreading fake news surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic and relief measures. “This individual and group also spread rumours about how people can access relief. Government’s process for hampers is that people do not go to councillors, rather they go to SASSA directly,” he said.
In response to the threats made by the group, Vedan opened a formal charge at the South African Police Service against the main perpetrator himself.
With regards to the community members of ward 71 involved in the protest, Vedan says they acted out on false information. “Right now we know it’s a very stressful time and people who were involved in the protest, they are good people, they are honest people but they are being misled,” added Vedan.
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