Cabinet must be held accountable for the July unrest: Civil society groups

The cabinet must be held accountable for the unrest in July last year, that claimed the lives of more than 350 people in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. This is according to civil society groups.

The call comes after the release of an expert panel’s report into the unrest.

President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed the panel last year, to investigate the unrest.

The panel found that the security services failed to anticipate and prevent the orchestrated violence.

Attempts to rebuild trust and unity after last July’s civil unrest that led to racial tensions in Phoenix , north of Durban and surrounding townships, are still ongoing.

At least 36 people were killed in the area in what is believed to be racially-motivated attacks as looting and destruction to businesses engulfed parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

According to a report of an expert panel that investigated the unrest, cabinet must take overall responsibility for the events. Likewise, civil society groups leading community engagements in Phoenix, KwaMashu, Bhambayi and Inanda want those implicated in the report to be held accountable.

Convenor of the Phoenix Ubuntu Forum, Sham Maharaj says, “Both the Minister of Police led by Bheki Cele and the Minister of intelligence services must be called to account for the failure and the mud-slinging that happened publicly. It is a shame that people in government cannot sit together and resolve these matters. The president must call both of them to account. But, we are also very heartened that the recommendations suggests that the security services must be overhauled. Heads must roll and those people, who have been identified by this panel must be called to account.”

Phoenix Ubuntu forum calls for swift action on panel’s recommendations:

The report says poor socio-economic circumstances and differences within the governing party contributed to the unrest, which erupted after former president, Jacob Zuma, was imprisoned for contempt of the Constitutional Court.

The civil society groups say dialogues between African and Indian communities must continue as they are bearing fruit. Reverend Vusi Zondi of the Pentecostal Holiness Church in KwaMashu explains…

“It’s a process not an event. If you remember very well after the incident and the unrest it was very difficult for the school learners to come to this area. But the churches, civil groups and community leaders work together and it started slowly that they are accepted in this area but the pastors feel that it should not stop there, it should carry on,” says Zondi.

Meanwhile, Craig Bouchier, a regional representative of Heartline a centre for values promotion says it will greatly help reconciliation efforts if the families of alleged perpetrators reach out to communities where victims lived. Bouchier says there is a feeling that the outreach is mainly coming from organisations.

“If you are part of these communities it is relevant for everyone. There is no one who can say it is not relevant for them. I think with those who might have been perpetrators their journey might be a longer journey. They have to take that first step that is many steps to get to the place of true reconciliation,” says Bouchier.

On Thursday, President Ramaphosa is expected to outline actions that the government will take in response to the findings and recommendations of the expert report into the July unrest.

SABC Digital News takes a look at how the riots unfolded: