The Directorate for Priority Crime investigation (Hawks) have arrested 20 alleged instigators of public violence, through social media and other platforms, during the 2021 July unrests in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
20 suspects are expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday to face charges including, conspiracy to commit public violence, incitement to commit public violence and arson.
According to the Hawks, joint police teams were mobilised to execute simultaneous arrests in various areas to ensure that the suspects appear in courts in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, North West, Free State, Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces.
Brigadier Thandi Mbambo, the Hawks spokesperson said the police made the arrests simultaneously across the country on Thursday in connection with the destruction of property during the July unrest.
By 10am on Thursday at least six people had been nabbed in a clandestine operation by the unit, whose members were deployed to the province earlier this week to prepare for the takedown.
A source close to the operation said some of the arrests are politically linked and were identified as among those on the Hawks “hit list” of about 80 people. Many of the arrested are believed to have been part of WhatsApp groups, such as eThekwini Shutdown and Free Zuma, which were formed building up to the unrest.
According to police statistics, 354 people were killed during the mass looting which took place in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. The riots came after former President Jacob Zuma was imprisoned.
The 20 suspects arrested will join the 19 who were arrested earlier for instigating violence during the unrest.
More than a year later, the country is still struggling to recover from the damage which was caused by the unrest which resulted in a R50 billion economic knock.
Source: News24, Eyewitness News, The Citizen, Sowetan Live, Times Live, image from Times Live: Sandile Ndlovu