Johannesburg – President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration is scrambling to contain the mass looting plaguing the country’s economic hubs in Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal, where billions of rand has been lost in public violence and thousands of jobs are at risk.
Ramaphosa was today meeting leaders of political parties as part of consultations with leadership of different sectors to arrest the mass looting in Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal, which started as a campaign to free former President Jacob Zuma and soon muted into criminal acts of looting.
State security apparatus had their hands full as mobs of people continued to burn factories and shopping malls in the violent riots that have killed over 70 people due to stampedes over looted items.
State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo has revealed that they received information that former spies loyal to former President Jacob Zuma were behind the unrest.
eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda noted in a media briefing that a preliminary analysis estimated that there had been R1 billion in loss of stock and R15 billion in damage to property, while 40 000 businesses have been affected.
Kaunda warned that 129 000 jobs were at risk.
“Our teams are currently assessing the economic impact of the unrest as we know a number of factories and shopping malls have been destroyed. We are engaging with the sector through the eThekwini economic council to establish how we can work together during the crisis and the aftermath,” Kaunda said.
Government leaders are also engaging with informal and small business associations, community leaders, traditional leaders and others, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Yesterday, Ramaphosa chaired the meeting of the National Security Council to assess developments around the country and coordinate the government’s security response – including intelligence gathering – to the widespread criminality.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Monday, 12 July 2021, government ministers engaged with business leadership on the situation in the country and agreed on several areas of cooperation.
“President Ramaphosa welcomed the concern expressed by interfaith leaders in events in the country and welcomed a proposal for a National Day of Prayer,” he said.
“Among developments today, the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster has indicated that all law enforcement and security agencies, including metro and traffic police, are working together to ensure public order policing, patrolling in identified “hotspot” areas and protecting key public and private infrastructure that is targeted by the perpetrators of violence,” she added.
She further said law enforcement agencies have also been tasked to protect COVID-19 vaccine storage sites, schools and clinics where vaccinations are being rolled out.
About 1,230 suspects – 547 in KZN and 683 in Gauteng- had been arrested in connection with public violence and looting.
Ntshavheni noted that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was putting together a team of special prosecutors who have been instructed to oppose bail for suspects associated with public violence and economic sabotage.
“The law enforcement agencies have also been tasked to enforce the Disaster Management Act Regulations, especially ensuring observance of the curfew which is from 9pm to 4am daily,” she said.
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