Luanda, Aug. 1, 2025 (Lusa) - The Angolan president announced on Friday that the government will approve support for companies affected this week in several provinces by acts of vandalism, which he classified as “sabotage” against the economy.
João Lourenço broke his silence in a message to the nation broadcast on Angolan public television after days of criticism over his silence, promising support for the economy in the face of the destruction caused by the riots during the taxi drivers' strike.
“The Angolan Executive has decided to approve, as early as next Monday, measures to support companies affected by the wave of vandalism, with a view to the rapid replenishment of stocks and the maintenance of jobs under threat,” announced the head of state.
For João Lourenço, the attacks against private commercial establishments “only discourage private investment and, as a result, reduce the supply of goods and services and employment for the (...) public”.
“Twenty-three years after the end of the armed conflict and in the year in which the country celebrates 50 years of its National Independence, we cannot accept or tolerate any more pain and mourning among Angolans,” he stressed.
The head of state referred to “unresolved social problems”, assuring that the state “is doing its best, investing in social areas, health, education, housing and job creation, with the mass recruitment of health and education professionals, vocational training and major public infrastructure construction projects”.
According to João Lourenço, infrastructure construction works in the new provinces will also provide employment for thousands of young people interested in work.
The Angolan president stressed that the education of young people "is not on social media platforms, which have no face or identity, but in the family, at school and in the community", emphasising that the state, the family, the churches and civil society organisations "still have a lot of work to do in the areas of civic, moral and academic education" of adolescents and young people.
João Lourenço took the opportunity to thank “the forces of law and order, the organs of justice, the health professionals who promptly attended to the wounded in (...) hospital units with the aim of saving lives”, as well as “the political parties, churches, civil society organisations and all those who, clearly and unambiguously, spoke out publicly condemning the barbarism".
The taxi drivers' strike, which began on 28 July and lasted for three days, degenerated into riots and acts of violence, with looting, arson and attacks on establishments and means of transport.
According to the latest figures from the police, the disturbances left 30 dead and 277 injured, as well as thousands of euros in damage. Among the property destroyed were 118 commercial establishments, 24 public buses, more than 20 private vehicles, five security force vehicles, a motorbike and an ambulance. A total of 1,515 people were arrested.
The epicentre of the violence was Luanda, but incidents were also reported in Benguela, Huíla, Huambo, Malanje, Bengo and Lunda Norte.
RCR/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
