Violence, looting part of regime change plans, says Nzimande

Nzimande was in Soshanguve, outside Pretoria, on Thursday to assess the damage caused by the looting in Gauteng.

More than 100 people have died and some 2 000 arrested in connection with the riots in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

“The sad part is that in this destruction that has happened, a lot of businesses belonging to local black people have actually been destroyed which shows that the people behind this counter-revolution, the masterminds, don’t care about ordinary people.

“They are thinking about themselves. They are thinking about their sins that they have committed, that they know law enforcement agencies are coming for them.”

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Nzimande also accused those behind the violence of trying to effect regime change. 

“We are very concerned with this destruction, it is very clear to us as a government that this destruction is deliberate and caused by people who are trying to foster some kind of regime change and want people to lose some kind of confidence in this government. We are glad that the community of Soshanguve have said we will not be a part of that.”

Some 36 new incidents of violence and looting have been reported since Wednesday.

Police are also looking into 12 people of interest, who are believed to be behind the violence.