The Post

CAUSES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JULY UNREST

UNDENIABLY, the trigger for the July 2021 unrest was the arrest and incarceration of former president Jacob Zuma.

The underlying causes reside in the deep-seated inequalities, high unemployment, poverty and resultant sense of hopelessness in a large number of South Africans.

This provided fertile ground for unscrupulous and opportunistic political and criminal elements to plan, instigate and foment the violence, looting and arson that ensued.

We are of the view that the unrest had its roots in inter alia the well-publicised factional battles within the ANC. These deep divisions in the governing party have inevitably found expression in many organs of the state, resulting in state paralysis and lack of leadership, especially in the few days of the unrest.

The unavoidable inference is that the organisers’ objective was to weaken the leadership of the ANC and shift the balance of political forces, both within the ANC, as well as in society as a whole.

It is submitted that the high-level strategy of the instigators was to destablise the South African economy and create chaos and mayhem.

The above conclusions are inescapable when one examines key social media messages, including the infamous “Let everything Burn!” message on Twitter.

A series of voice notes on social media by another instigator/inciter over a number of days, are paraphrased as follows:

◆ A general call to revolt, attack and burn.

◆ A call to intensify the unrest and accept that there will be casualties (in response to criticism that black business and the vulnerable were victims).

◆ A call to target symbols of “white monopoly capital” and specifically trucks bearing the branding of big companies such as Ackermans.

◆ A voice note praising “fighters” for their attacks in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng and inciting similar action in other provinces such as North West.

July Riots

en-za

2022-06-29T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-06-29T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thepostza.pressreader.com/article/281771337878913

African News Agency