Distraught Soweto family accepts SAHRC hearings into July unrest may not provide answers

As President Cyril Ramaphosa was announced as a witness to testify before the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on the July 2021 unrest that saw businesses looted and more than 300 people killed, one family who lost a loved one say the hearings won't undo what happened.  

“I have a lot of questions but will asking these bring my mom back from the dead? It won’t,” said Amanda Magadula.

Her 55-year-old mother Angela Magadula was among at least a dozen people who died on July 13 2021 in Meadowlands, Soweto. Most were killed in a stampede at the Ndofaya Mall during a looting spree. This was just days before Amanda was due to give birth.

Recalling what happened, Amanda said: “We knew that all shops were closed around that time. When my mother heard that people were getting into Shoprite, she left the house, saying she was going to try to get me nappies. That was the last time I saw her until she returned home in a coffin,” said Magadula, her baby crying in the background.

“Someone came here and told me that my mom was no more, that she was lying in the street,” said Magadula.

To this day, she does not know what caused her mother’s death.

“My mother had Covid-19 before this and she had a bad cough. All I heard was that she ran out of breath and died right there. So it is either a heart attack or shortness of breath but we never received her post mortem. We were told it would take years,” she said.

Magadula said life had became tough after her mother’s death, especially because of her pregnancy.

“We had Gauteng premier David Makhura come here and the local councillor. We were given groceries and R700 to assist with the funeral.”

While the police ministry, state security agency and SA National Defence Force (SANDF) have been questioned about their role before, during and after the unrest, Magadula does not blame any government department for her mother's death. Instead, she believed there were spiritual connotations which led to bloodshed at the time.

For now, the family are preparing to mark the baby's first birthday without their matriarch on March 8. 

“I wish I didn’t have to go to work on her birthday. I normally would have bought something for her, even on Valentine's Day, but this time I got something for my nanny who takes care of my child. I will do the same for Mother's Day,” said Magadula.

She still has not visited her mother’s grave.

“I wasn’t allowed to go back then because culturally, a pregnant person doesn’t go to the graveyard. But now, I feel I am just not ready,” Magadula said.

The July 2021 unrest started in KwaZulu-Natal and spread to Gauteng. It happened after the incarceration of former president Jacob Zuma. 

The SAHRC hearings started in KwaZulu-Natal and then moved to Gauteng last month. The hearings, now on hold, will resume on April 1 with Ramaphosa expected to give evidence. 

The last witness to testify last week was William Bird from Media Montoring Africa who gave evidence on how social media played a part in the unrest. 

Bird testified about how disinformation fanned the flames of unrest as some people resorted to posting old images of unrest, not linked to the July incidents.

He noted a series of fake tweets, alleging that prisoners had embarked on a hunger protest at the Estcourt facility where Zuma was being held. Videos from old taxi unrest also began doing the rounds and videos of the MKMVA gathering for a funeral were shared with false claims that they were gathering to go to war for Zuma. 

Social media was used to spread messages inciting violence, with there being calls for infrastructure to be torched and judges' homes to be targeted. There was talk of attacking the Indian community. Another account, purporting to be that of the former president's son Duduzane, also spread messages of incitement.

Bird said social media became a tool to sow fear and confusion and this was a serious threat.

He stressed however that criminalising disinformation was not the solution as this threatened freedom of speech.

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