Zikalala: ‘KZN’s economy will take time to recover from riots’

There’s a tough road ahead for KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), as it works on rebuilding its economy that has undoubtedly been battered by the recent riots. Both KZN and Gauteng were the scene of chaos, during which thousands of people looted and vandalised shops, malls and other establishments.

While calm has since been restored, both provinces are left to deal with the economic and social consequences of the violence, which some have labelled as one of the darkest chapters in the country’s history, since the dawn of democracy.

Briefing media on Saturday, 24 July 2021, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala said it will be a long road to recovery for the province.

“As government continues to visit the scenes of devastation, it is now evident that it will take time for the province to recover. The impact has been worst in rural towns, SMMEs and on individual business owners, but the destruction has been felt across our economy,” he said.

KZN unrest: eThekwini Metro and Umsunduzi hardest hit

Sihle Zikalala further placed focus on the eThekwini Metro and Umsunduzi municipalities, as they were the most affected by the KZN riots. In eThekwini, the economic damages are as follows:

• Loss of stock of more than R1.5 billion
• Damage to property and equipment of more than R15 billion
• Over 50 000 Informal Traders affected
• Over 40 000 businesses affected
• More than 150 000 jobs are now at risk

The premier said preliminary estimates show that the eThekwini GDP will be about R20 billion.

“Towns such as far apart as Pietermaritzburg, Nongoma, eShowe, Boston and Umzimkhulu were also hard hit by the wave of looting and the destruction of property. We are very mindful of the impact of the unrest on our rural towns. Other small towns affected by the unrest include Richmond, Greytown, Umzinto and many others,” Zikalala said.

He added that 89 shopping centres and malls, 1 hospital, 35 warehouses, 22 factories, 88 ATMs, 89 liquor outlets and 139 schools were destroyed/damaged.

“Apart from the physical destruction of property the shutdown of economic activity has badly affected the overall economic output. Conservative estimates indicate that for every hour that the N3 highway between KZN and Gauteng is closed, millions of rand are lost to the economy”

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala