All police officers who are currently on leave have to report back to their stations immediately amid the widespread violent looting and unrest. The Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (SSSBC) convened for an urgent meeting on Monday to discuss the ongoing rioting and looting across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Rioters trashed the Jabulani Mall in Soweto on Monday and other shopping malls have had to close their doors in an effort to stop the country-wide looting spree. Two major bus companies have suspended their services indefinitely.
The riots erupted to force the hand of President Cyril Ramaphosa, member of the minority Venda tribe, to sign the release of former president Jacob Zuma. Zuma belongs to the Zulu tribe – the largest in the country. Zulus saw his incarceration on charges of corruption as an affront to their people.
In a statement, the Presidency announced that the military had been deployed to assist the police in terms of Section 201(2)(a) of the Constitution. The Ramaphosa regime has also expressed concern that social media could fuel more chaos. “People are also asked to pay attention to what they post on social media and to be aware that the sharing of fake news or content that incites violence and looting is a crime.”
Looters are targeting retail shops, especially liquor stores, but also electrical products and clothing.
Ramaphosa’s estimated net worth is over R6.4 billion, much higher than Zuma’s. The current president has 31 registered properties and previously-held ownership in companies such as McDonald’s South Africa, chair of the board for MTN and member of the board for mining company Lonmin. In fact, Ramaphosa – a former Marxist trade unionist – is known to be one of the richest people in South Africa while the “corrupt” Zuma’s net worth is only around R290 million.