KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has pointed to societal problems, including substance abuse and illicit firearms, as key drivers behind a surge in violent crime and traffic arrests that marred the province’s recent festive season.
The Premier’s comments follow the arrest of more than 3,000 motorists for drinking and driving during the period, and a series of violent incidents, including the gruesome killing of four family members in Port Shepstone during a suspected robbery on New Year’s Eve.
In a wide-ranging interview, Premier Ntuli discussed the province’s security strategy, acknowledging the severity of the incidents while defending the work of law enforcement.
“it’s certainly a difficult month when you have any killings, but to have a situation where you’re continuously facing so many,” the interviewer stated, questioning whether there were flaws in security parameters.
In response, Premier Ntuli extended New Year’s greetings before identifying core issues. “I think it is the mentality of the people in a way and also the issue of the drugs and alcohol abuse seems to be a factor in the aggressiveness,” he said.
He directly linked these factors to both violent crime and road accidents. However, he also highlighted the proliferation of illegal firearms as a major problem, while praising police for confiscating more than 500 illegal and homemade weapons.
The Premier also revealed that some community violence stems from deep-seated beliefs. “The problem of you see grudges that exist in families and even the beliefs that someone is a witchcraft,” he said, explaining that attacks sometimes target families accused of witchcraft, often victimizing the elderly. He confirmed ongoing discussions with traditional leadership to address these harmful beliefs.
Regarding the high number of drunk driving arrests, Ntuli outlined a multi-sectoral strategy. He reported that over 2,000 illegal alcohol outlets had been identified and closed, and that the provincial Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs is reviewing liquor license conditions with the liquor board to prevent all-hours sales.
“when people buy alcohol even early in the morning by 1:00 a.m., 2:00 a.m. that becomes a problem,” he noted.
Despite the challenges, Premier Ntuli expressed strong confidence in the province’s law enforcement, specifically commending the police force under Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. He cited visible policing and effective investigations as reasons for decreasing crime statistics.
“The law enforcers in its entirety… are working quite to a strength in the province,” Ntuli asserted.
The Premier’s assessment of public sentiment was mixed. While acknowledging the fear generated by incidents like the Port Shepstone murders, he described a recent security blitz in Durban where he and Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi walked along the beachfront. He claimed that citizens, including tourists, expressed feeling assured of their safety and stability due to police visibility.
In a brief final segment, Premier Ntuli provided an update on the troubled Ithala Bank, assuring that while there were processing challenges, no one would lose their money. He confirmed that a meeting in early January would make key decisions about resuscitating the development-focused bank.
The provincial government continues to urge public cooperation, emphasizing that societal change is necessary to complement law enforcement efforts in curbing crime and road fatalities.