As much as 75 per cent of the 1.4 million strong Indian-origin South Africans live in this province and majority of them vehemently oppose the provincial government's consideration of bingo halls in shopping centres.
Many of the residents showed up with posters, regularly at the public hearings hosted by the KwaZulu-Natal Gambling Board.
People making representations at the hearings shared experiences of suicides by friends and relatives, young people stealing from aged grandparents to feed their gambling habits, and addiction by pensioners wasting away their meager allowances at slot machines.
"Pensioners used all their income on slot machines in the hope of striking it rich," she said.
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Pastor Mervin Reddy told the hearing that his brother Dion, a teacher, hanged himself after losing all of his million rand pension pay-out at gambling tables.
Former gambling addict Raj Govender, who now runs an advice desk for gamblers to help them overcome their addiction, said that instead of helping his aged mother, he took her money for gambling.
Formal casino owners who have invested millions in security facilities and public education programmes to ensure responsible gambling, also objected to the bingo machines in malls, which they said would not have the same level of commitment towards protecting minors from gambling.
The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal province, Senzo Mchunu, said gambling legislation would be amended to ensure that bingo terminals in public places will be kept away from places close to children and disadvantaged communities.