Staff Reporter
South Africa’s Human Rights Commission has exonerated former President Jacob Zuma from the 2021 riots, saying they did not receive evidence that indicates Zuma’s hand for sparking the violence.
The unrest broke out after the former President was taken to jail for contempt of court. Both the Human Rights Commission and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights released their reports on the matter in Durban.
The unrest, that claimed more than 350 lives, also caused major economic disruptions.
The Human Rights Commission says in its report that the 2021 unrest was well orchestrated. Major highways and critical economic routes were blocked, factories, malls and warehouses looted and set alight. Commissioner Philile Ntuli says while it coincided with former president Jacob Zuma going to jail, there is no evidence linking the two.
“And it was quite clear that from December 2020 up until the unrest there were various security threats, red alerts as well as orange alerts, on the security of the state, including protests against foreign nationals, including issues on the highways. The blockages of the N3 and the N2 by alleged groups linked to truck drivers.”
What emerged from both reports, is that the unrest was fuelled by the deep inequality in South African society as well as the economic hardships the COVID-19 pandemic brought about.
The Human Rights Commission’s recommendations outline steps government must take to prevent a recurrence of the 2021 unrest and to hold government accountable.
