eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has assured Hollywoodbets Durban July patrons the show will go on despite threats of a boycott.
TimesLIVE reported KwaZulu-Natal civic group Umsinsi Wokuzimilela called for a boycott of the renowned horse racing and social event taking place on Saturday.
The group said the event was a “cultural celebration of the British” and criticised the KZN government, and eThekwini municipality in particular, for spending public funds in support of it.
About 48,000 people are expected to attend the event at the Greyville Racecourse.
Kaunda said the R5m record stake horse racing event is going ahead despite threats to disrupt it.
“We are not fazed by these threats. We see them as a desperate attempt to be relevant and to grab headlines by riding on the popularity of the Durban July. We respect the right of any group or individual to express themselves on any issue, but we will not tolerate any lawlessness,” he said.
Kaunda said law enforcement agencies will be deployed to strategic areas during the Durban July to ensure the safety of patrons and residents.
“Approximately 100 metro police officers will be deployed around the Greyville area. In addition, metro police’s public order policing unit, which is trained in crowd control, is on high alert to ensure an incident-free event,” he said.
Durban July will take place despite boycott threats, says eThekwini mayor
Image: Supplied
eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has assured Hollywoodbets Durban July patrons the show will go on despite threats of a boycott.
TimesLIVE reported KwaZulu-Natal civic group Umsinsi Wokuzimilela called for a boycott of the renowned horse racing and social event taking place on Saturday.
The group said the event was a “cultural celebration of the British” and criticised the KZN government, and eThekwini municipality in particular, for spending public funds in support of it.
About 48,000 people are expected to attend the event at the Greyville Racecourse.
Kaunda said the R5m record stake horse racing event is going ahead despite threats to disrupt it.
“We are not fazed by these threats. We see them as a desperate attempt to be relevant and to grab headlines by riding on the popularity of the Durban July. We respect the right of any group or individual to express themselves on any issue, but we will not tolerate any lawlessness,” he said.
Kaunda said law enforcement agencies will be deployed to strategic areas during the Durban July to ensure the safety of patrons and residents.
“Approximately 100 metro police officers will be deployed around the Greyville area. In addition, metro police’s public order policing unit, which is trained in crowd control, is on high alert to ensure an incident-free event,” he said.
Extravagance galore as Durban July patrons pay up to R10k for hospitality
All intersections will be managed for traffic control and suspicious movement ahead of the event.
Roads that will be closed include the following:
Kaunda said tourism was an important sector as it boosts the local economy and creates jobs.
“The projections for the economic impact on eThekwini from the Durban July experience are far-reaching. The event will attract up to 48,000 attendees, amassing a R65m direct spend, contributing R130m to the GDP and creating 1,500 jobs.
TimesLIVE
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READ MORE:
Organisation calls for boycott of Durban July as 'celebration of British culture' which drains public money
Extravagance galore as Durban July patrons pay up to R10k for hospitality
All bets are on for bumper Durban July set to attract about 50,000 people
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