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A year after July riots… no action, just empty words
Would our security forces be better equipped to handle it, should there be another 'insurrection'?
Members of the SANDF and Saps can be seen carrying a stolen fridge found in Mamelodi after they searched residents homes for items possibly looted from Mams Mall during the riots and unrest on 14 July 2021, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
Few people will ever forget the horrid scenes of SA burning during the July unrest a year ago.
The blatant disregard for law and order, with people’s livelihoods going up in smoke as looters stripped the country down to its core.
The ghastly scenes of 2021 are still raw in everyone’s memories, just as we started to claw our way back out of Covid’s damage.
The flames, the fear and the sheer helplessness we felt should never be repeated again.
ALSO READ: July unrest in numbers: Arrests, court cases and investigations
But have we learnt from those violent scenes a year ago?
Would our security forces be better equipped to handle it, should there be another “insurrection”?
What measures have been put in place by our government to protect its businesses? Its people? Who has been held responsible for the riots?
The answers to all these questions is no, nothing or very little – a sad indictment on our leaders.
Perhaps most disappointing is the promises that were made in the aftermath of the unrest.
President Cyril Ramaphosa at the time said: “Our intelligence services and police now have a line of sight as to what was happening in terms of the instigation, coordination and planning and we are after those people.
“We are going after those people. We have identified a good number of them. We will not allow anarchy and mayhem to unfold.”
READ MORE: Several unrest threats quelled since July riots, claims Bheki Cele
Billions of rands of damage and 354 deaths as a result of the carnage, yet, we all know that the instigators have not been brought to book, despite assurances from the security cluster that plenty has been done.
There have been no convictions. The promises are just empty words.
Yesterday, on the anniversary of the unrest, Defence Minister Thandi Modise said: “Whoever it is who is behind last year, it must be very clear, we will not rest.
“We don’t care who it is, they will face what they must face. There will not be shortcuts.”
Sadly, more empty promises.
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