The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has expressed concern about the potential for a recurrence of the July 2021 unrest. This warning came during a dialogue discussing the National Investigative Hearing Report on the events that took place in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Initially released in January 2024 in KZN, the July Unrest Report was relaunched in Gauteng to focus on the province's outcomes, which were severely impacted by violence and looting. The unrest resulted in over 350 casualties and extensive damage to businesses and shopping centers.
The chaos in July 2021 began in KZN on the 9th and quickly spread to Gauteng on the 11th, following the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma for contempt of court. The violence and looting were widespread, and the unrest even sparked racial tensions in some areas, notably in Phoenix, north of Durban.
SAHRC Commissioner Tshepo Madlingozi highlighted the troubling possibility of a recurrence, citing the persistence of the underlying causes of the unrest. "There is a risk of recurrence because the causes of that July unrest are still with us. The causes of impoverishment of large sectors of society and the fact that many people don’t feel a sense of belonging are still there," he said.
Martinah Hunter-Parsonage, another SAHRC representative, pointed to deteriorating socio-economic conditions as a key factor that allowed the unrest to spread so rapidly. She noted that issues such as unemployment, lack of access to education, and a sense of hopelessness among young people contributed to the unrest. "The socio-economic conditions were like dry tinder, while there was some level of organization, the unrest was able to spread quickly because of these conditions," she explained.
The commission also criticized the South African Police Service for failing to adequately detect and respond to the planning and execution of the violent unrest. Hunter-Parsonage highlighted a lingering issue with the police force's approach, stating, "While we have black police officers, our policing system is still focused on state security rather than human security, protecting the state instead of the people."
The SAHRC's report underscores the urgent need for addressing socio-economic issues and reforming policing strategies to prevent a repeat of the devastating events of July 2021.
