SAHRC: No proven link between Zuma arrest, July unrest

Commissioner Philile Ntuli on Monday presented the commission's final report on the riots that broke out in KZN and parts of Gauteng.

Ntuli said while the unrest coincided with the incarceration of Zuma for failing to testify at the commission of inquiry into state capture, no direct link could be established between the two events.

"The evidence presented before the commission indicated that the acts, as mentioned before, that occurred during the unrest were indeed well-orchestrated, including the blocking of the M2 and N3, the destruction of factories and warehouses, the attacks on government facilities and the bombing and theft of ATMs. These acts were interconnected and required significant resources.” 

The SAHRC believes the violence and looting was largely due to public discord, crime and protest.

"While evidence pointed to high-level orchestration, the common purpose or intention behind the unrest remained unclear,” Ntuli said.

"The violence and destruction were symptomatic of unresolved systemic conditions, including post-Covid-19 economic recovery, high unemployment, lawlessness, discrimination, socioeconomic divides, and issues within the security sector.”

The commission recommended that the police compile a full report on all unrest-related deaths.

"A clear explanation of the circumstances in which these occurred must be included. The commission recommends that SAPS examines the high number of deaths as a result of police action during the unrest and implements measures to reduce the risk of such deaths in future. SAPS is required to provide the commission with a report in this regard," said Ntuli.

She said the police had failed to detect the planning and execution of the unrest, and the state's intelligence apparatus proved to be ineffective. 

"Excessive secrecy, insufficient resources and a lack of technological capability appear to have been the cause of the failure to detect and respond effectively to the planned unrest as well as contribute effectively to stabilisation efforts.”

The commission believes the unrest was mainly meant to destabilise the country's economy.

"The commission finds that while the timing of the events of the July unrest coincided with the incarceration of former president Jacob Zuma, it could not find evidence to link the two events.

 "It is probable that the unrest was undertaken to destabilise the economy.”