Alleged unrest instigator ‘Sphithiphithi Evaluator’ to appear in court today

Two more suspects accused of inciting widespread public violence and looting in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July are expected to appear in court on Monday.

The Hawks arrested the suspects, a 35-year-old man from KZN and a 36-year-old woman from Gauteng, on Saturday.

The suspects face charges of incitement to commit public violence.

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The suspect from KZN was said to have been responsible for the looting and setting alight of the Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg. This after he was allegedly found to have incited violence on social media platforms.

He is due to appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court.

‘Sphithiphithi Evaluator’

The Gauteng suspect, a woman with an avid Twitter following known as Sphithiphithi Evaluator, was arrested during a search and seizure operation in Leondale, Ekurhuleni.

“Exhibits for further investigation” were confiscated, the Hawks said in a statement.

The woman, who’s Twitter handle is @_AfricanSoil, is followed by almost 60,000 people, and is known for tweeting controversial statements.

“A well funded; oiled Propaganda Machinery [Media] &Capitalists have destroyed lives of many people through lies &regime change. A dark period in South Africa,” her Twitter bio reads.

The woman is expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.

Police Minister Bheki Cele on Monday confirmed that 18 people were arrested for allegedly instigating the July riots.