DURBAN - KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala said that the barricades formed in Phoenix during the July unrest worsened racial tensions in the area.
Zikalala is testifying at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC)'s hearings probing the July events.
On Thursday, the inquiry heard from Glen Naidoo, the man who called for the barricades to be erected.
The premier told the inquiry that the barricades intensified the racial tensions.
"You'll find that some of them were not allowed to pass and go to their own homes, so I think it exacerbated [the tension]. Some people who wanted to pass to go to shops or fuel stations and they were killed and I think it exacerbated the racial tension," Zikalala said.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura is also expected to testify at the inquiry on Friday.

Source: EWN