Hawks arrest 20 alleged July unrest instigators

Celani Sikhakhane

The Hawks have pounced on the alleged ringleaders behind last year’s July unrest, arresting 20 alleged instigators.

The arrests were executed simultaneously in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, North West, Free State, Western Cape and the Northern Cape.

Hawks KZN spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo told Scrolla.Africa that the operation, which began in the early hours of Thursday morning, would continue throughout the night.

“After we are done we will issue a statement with proper details about the whole operation,” she said.

The Hawks are targeting those who are linked to the unrest and are believed to have been vocal about the looting and the burning of economic areas to force the release of former president Jacob Zuma from the Estcourt Correctional Services Centre.

Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison on contempt of court charges.

He has spent most of his sentence at his home of KwaDakwadunuse in Nkandla after he was released on medical parole by Arthur Fraser, then the national correctional services commissioner. Fraser’s term ended shortly afterwards.

About 354 people were reported killed during the unrest in both Gauteng and KZN. The number included the deaths of over 30 people killed in Phoenix, allegedly by frightened residents.

Many township communities are still struggling to get services, as many offices and sources of food and furniture, including shops, were burnt to ashes.

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