SA marks first anniversary of the July unrest

This week will mark the first anniversary of the July unrest that swept through KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

The unrest, believed to have been sparked by the imprisonment of the former president Jacob Zuma, for contempt of court, caused widespread looting of shops and businesses.

It also led to the deaths of over 300 people.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says the events bring back sad memories, especially of the people who were killed.

A year since the July unrest of 2021 – KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala weighs in:

He says efforts to rebuild the economy are continuing.

”Number of factories were destroyed, number of warehouses were destroyed and vandalised, so we’re working hard on rebuilding.

But according to the report from the Human Rights Commission, which is public knowledge, some of the things that exacerbated the situation is the whole issue of poverty and unemployment. There is a need to focus our attention on addressing those two major causal factors of social instability.”

July Unrest | President Ramaphosa gives testimony at HRC hearings:

Academics, entrepreneurs, religious and civil society formations said social cohesion and nation-building should form part of the school curriculum.

They said without it there is a serious threat to the country’s economic stability.

The Social Cohesion Group was the last organisation to give oral evidence at the Human Rights Commission’s national investigative hearings into the July 2021 unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

A member of the Social Cohesion Group and KwaZulu-Natal’s Economic Development MEC Ravi Pillay said like all other patriotic South Africans, they too have serious questions that they need answers to regarding the unrest.