Former president Jacob Zuma’s incarceration in July brought parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to a standstill as his supporters allegedly instigated violence in protest against his imprisonment.
The chaos in both provinces erupted after Zuma handed himself over to police to serve a 15-month jail sentence on June 29 for being in contempt of court.
Zuma was found guilty of contempt of court for failure to comply with an order of the Constitutional Court to honour a summons to appear before the state capture commission.
“The only appropriate sanction is a direct unsuspended order of imprisonment,” the apex court ruled.
Zuma had been given five days to hand himself over to the police.
Meanwhile, his supporters vowed to continue to demonstrate until he was freed.
Subsequent to Zuma’s incarceration, violent protests and looting hit the two provinces hard, leading to food supply shortages in KwaZulu-Natal and fears of bread and petrol shortages.
A number of shopping malls and shops were set alight during the rampage, while delivery trucks in KwaZulu-Natal, mainly on the N3, were set alight.
Police minister Bheki Cele described the July events as “unprecedented” for a new democracy.
“Never, in the new SA, have we experienced an attack, so severe, devastating, and debilitating for the SA economy.
“The attack was direct and focused on key and critical infrastructures, both public and privately-owned and or managed. The attacks also specifically targeted malls and their warehouses. On a smaller scale, private business sites, especially in areas where the attacks took on the form of local level looting,” Cele said.
More than 1,200 people were arrested for looting and destruction of property in both provinces.
A total of 70 people died during the protests.
In KwaZulu-Natal, police investigated 27 cases (murder 14, inquest 13) and in Gauteng 45 cases (murder 19, inquest 26).
The greater part of the inquest dockets related to stampedes that occurred during incidents of looting of shops and malls, while other deaths and injuries were related to ATM explosions and shootings.
In July, then acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told the media that the police had arrested 12 alleged instigators behind the violence. The number later rose to 18.
Themba Mnisi, one of the alleged instigators, is said to have posted a message on a WhatsApp group called “Vaal operation dudula”, in which he allegedly incited its members to commit violence.
He is out on R40,000 bail with strict conditions including that he report to police on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Bruce Nimmerhoudt, also arrested for incitement to commit public violence, has appeared in the Roodepoort magistrate’s court.
It is alleged that he was behind a voice note circulated on WhatsApp inciting people on the West Rand to join the violence in other parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
He was released on R3,000 bail. He is due back in court on January 31.
Meanwhile, the Westonaria magistrate’s court granted Sibusiso Mavuso, who is also accused of instigating violence, bail of R2,500.
Another alleged riot instigator, former Ukhozi FM presenter Ngizwe Mchunu, was granted bail by the Randburg magistrate’s court two weeks ago.
The court found that the state’s case against Mchunu was not strong and there was not enough evidence against him to deny bail.
His case was postponed to January 31 for a pretrial hearing.
Advocate Ike Khumalo was granted R3,000 bail by the Johannesburg magistrate’s court. He is due to appear in court again on February 10.
The incitement of violence case against Mbongeni Tabane was withdrawn last week.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said all cases against the alleged instigators were postponed for further investigations.
In October, Cele told TimesLIVE in an interview that his department was close to “solving” who was behind the unrest.
“We are not about to pass on it. We are coming close to [solving] it,” said Cele.
His spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said this week that the police, the Hawks, and the SA Human Rights Commission were looking into the riots.
“These are the agencies investigating and also there is a panel of experts that’s looking at this matter alongside the SAHRC which are ongoing,” she said.
TimesLIVE
Jacob Zuma’s incarceration in July brought chaos to parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
Former president Jacob Zuma’s incarceration in July brought parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to a standstill as his supporters allegedly instigated violence in protest against his imprisonment.
The chaos in both provinces erupted after Zuma handed himself over to police to serve a 15-month jail sentence on June 29 for being in contempt of court.
Zuma was found guilty of contempt of court for failure to comply with an order of the Constitutional Court to honour a summons to appear before the state capture commission.
“The only appropriate sanction is a direct unsuspended order of imprisonment,” the apex court ruled.
Zuma had been given five days to hand himself over to the police.
Meanwhile, his supporters vowed to continue to demonstrate until he was freed.
Subsequent to Zuma’s incarceration, violent protests and looting hit the two provinces hard, leading to food supply shortages in KwaZulu-Natal and fears of bread and petrol shortages.
A number of shopping malls and shops were set alight during the rampage, while delivery trucks in KwaZulu-Natal, mainly on the N3, were set alight.
Police minister Bheki Cele described the July events as “unprecedented” for a new democracy.
“Never, in the new SA, have we experienced an attack, so severe, devastating, and debilitating for the SA economy.
“The attack was direct and focused on key and critical infrastructures, both public and privately-owned and or managed. The attacks also specifically targeted malls and their warehouses. On a smaller scale, private business sites, especially in areas where the attacks took on the form of local level looting,” Cele said.
More than 1,200 people were arrested for looting and destruction of property in both provinces.
A total of 70 people died during the protests.
In KwaZulu-Natal, police investigated 27 cases (murder 14, inquest 13) and in Gauteng 45 cases (murder 19, inquest 26).
The greater part of the inquest dockets related to stampedes that occurred during incidents of looting of shops and malls, while other deaths and injuries were related to ATM explosions and shootings.
In July, then acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told the media that the police had arrested 12 alleged instigators behind the violence. The number later rose to 18.
Themba Mnisi, one of the alleged instigators, is said to have posted a message on a WhatsApp group called “Vaal operation dudula”, in which he allegedly incited its members to commit violence.
He is out on R40,000 bail with strict conditions including that he report to police on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Bruce Nimmerhoudt, also arrested for incitement to commit public violence, has appeared in the Roodepoort magistrate’s court.
It is alleged that he was behind a voice note circulated on WhatsApp inciting people on the West Rand to join the violence in other parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
He was released on R3,000 bail. He is due back in court on January 31.
Meanwhile, the Westonaria magistrate’s court granted Sibusiso Mavuso, who is also accused of instigating violence, bail of R2,500.
Another alleged riot instigator, former Ukhozi FM presenter Ngizwe Mchunu, was granted bail by the Randburg magistrate’s court two weeks ago.
The court found that the state’s case against Mchunu was not strong and there was not enough evidence against him to deny bail.
His case was postponed to January 31 for a pretrial hearing.
Advocate Ike Khumalo was granted R3,000 bail by the Johannesburg magistrate’s court. He is due to appear in court again on February 10.
The incitement of violence case against Mbongeni Tabane was withdrawn last week.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said all cases against the alleged instigators were postponed for further investigations.
In October, Cele told TimesLIVE in an interview that his department was close to “solving” who was behind the unrest.
“We are not about to pass on it. We are coming close to [solving] it,” said Cele.
His spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said this week that the police, the Hawks, and the SA Human Rights Commission were looking into the riots.
“These are the agencies investigating and also there is a panel of experts that’s looking at this matter alongside the SAHRC which are ongoing,” she said.
TimesLIVE
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