LIVE: Evidence from Soweto, Alexandra at today’s July unrest hearings

The July unrest hearings at the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) continue today after proceedings were adjourned yesterday when witnesses failed to make an appearance.

Earlier this week, Police Minister Bheki Cele took the stand and classified the July unrest attacks as “targeted and focused”.

“When police have operations sometimes I am physically there, [but I do] not lead those operations [and] not telling police what to do,” he said.

WATCH: July unrest hearings

Cele explained that he could see the build-up to the violence even before Zuma’s arrest. He said this is the reason he visited the former president’s home in February last year.

“I went to speak with the old man [and] it [was] famous that Cele [was] having tea in Nkandla. It was part of seeing if things can’t be stopped before they reach a breaking point because you could see that they were going there.

Meanwhile, former State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo said she had provided information “to the relevant structures that were tasked with passing on information to ministers”, thus not failing in her duties.

According to Dlodlo, she could not be held responsible if those structures “failed in their duties”.

The 8 to 19 July riots resulted in more than 330 people losing their lives, and cost R25 billion in damages. The violence was ostensibly sparked by the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma.

The July unrest hearings are set to continue for two weeks.

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Additional reporting by Molefe Seeletsa