Bridgitte Lesley

When Durban Burns Bridgitte Lesley

In July 2021, the city of Durban and its surroundings came under attack. Pro-Zuma residents of the province were against the imprisonment of ex-president Jacob Zuma. People went on the rampage, looted stores, and turned violent. Once the stores were cleared, they were set alight and left to burn. This led to civil unrest and was labelled as war by Durbanites. Shops and stores in the malls became the target whether in the city, rural areas, or the outskirts of town. The destruction reached as far as Port Edward which is more than an hour's drive from Durban, but on the border of the province of the Eastern Cape. Under duress, the president despatched 2 500 defence force personnel but was prodded to send more. This only happened days later when 25 000 personnel were deployed. The residents of the province took to arms protecting their homes, businesses and assets. This novel is based on the chaotic times faced by residents in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.