WATCH | MEC Meyer raises alarm over occupied Mayor’s Walk building
He described as an invasion of the building, with the security personnel at the gate unable to contain the crowd.
A Mayor’s Walk building that has become a temporary refuge for more than 1 000 Malawian nationals awaiting repatriation was effectively hijacked over the weekend when a large crowd overwhelmed security guards and occupied the property, KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer said on Tuesday.
According to Meyer, the group forcefully entered the building on Saturday after fleeing communities across the Msunduzi Municipality amid fears of further violence following the suspected murder of a Malawian national in the Jika Joe informal settlement.
He described as an invasion of the building, with the security personnel at the gate unable to contain the crowd.
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The foreign nationals are understood to have fled neighbouring communities following the suspected murder of a Malawian national in the Jika-Joe informal settlement on Friday.
Fearing further unrest, many reportedly sought refuge at the Mayor’s Walk property, leading to the mass occupation of the building.
Speaking on the matter at a media briefing in Meyville, Durban on Tuesday morning, Meyer said he was alerted to the situation on Saturday morning and expressed concern about both the manner in which the building was occupied and the dangers posed by the structure itself.
The structural integrity of that building in Mayor’s Walk is very much compromised and is not ideal for occupation.
“Some parts of the structure are wooden, including the staircase, which could collapse if used in its current state,” he said.
Meyer added that the Malawian government had been informed of the situation.
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He said authorities were now faced with the challenge of addressing the illegal occupation while ensuring the safety of those inside the building.
Meyer said plans are being considered to relocate the occupants to Durban once a number of Malawian nationals currently in Durban are deported back to Malawi.
