KZN MEC says it’s ‘too early’ to label Phoenix murders as massacre

KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development MEC Ravi Pillay testified before the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on Wednesday, 22 June. His testimony comes as commissioners concluded their lengthy hearing into the civil unrest in the province last year.

KZN MEC says there is still not enough evidence to accurately label the killings in Phoenix

Speaking about the alleged 80 murders, Pillay said he was not aware of any breakdown that had been put out in the public domain that locates said deaths.

“I heard you speaking of 80, I’m not aware of any breakdown that’s been put out to the public domain that locates these deaths, in time and space including the details submitted that should be requested from the mortuary. 

“I think that’s only going to give you the location in time and space and method. That’s going to be the first instance of a characterisation. So until those details are available the first factual assessment we believe is immature and that’s why we contest,”

said Pillay.

Pillay acknowledges the horrors of the incident but contests the narrative

ECR News reports that investigations into the deaths of 80 people linked to the civil unrest are ongoing. The deaths of these individuals have been recorded at the Phoenix Mortuary.

Speaking about the absence of information, Pillay says they contest the narrative however, they do not contest that the incident was a horrific and painful one.

“We believe that there is nothing better than the actual truth. It must be dealt with, whatever the case is. But in the absence of that information, we contest that particular narrative but we do not contest that this was a horrific incident, it was very painful.

“The brutality of certain incidents were clearly viewed with horrendous racism, we don’t dispute that,”

he said.

Khayelitsha mass shootings: Since March, 26 people have been killed

In other news about mass killings, it was previously reported that since March 2022, a massive 26 people were murdered in mass shootings in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. These horrific statistics were revealed during the Khayelitsha Crisis Response Summit on Thursday, 16 June. Minister of Police Bheki Cele attended the summit.

In recent months, residents in Khayelitsha have been even more fearful for their lives. The area has become a warzone as gangs have been involved in extortion-related crimes which are believed behind the series of murders.

MEC for Community Safety and Police Oversight Reagen Allen also encouraged residents in Khayelitsha to take their streets back. Allen said that they had dedicated South African Police Service (SAPS) officials who go out in the morning and their return is unknown. Read the full story here.