We know who they are – Ramaphosa says he’s coming for ‘insurrectionists’

President Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected calls to declare a state of emergency in the country in the wake of violent looting and protests that started in KwaZulu-Natal and spread to parts of Gauteng this week.

While Ramaphosa acknowledged the pain of some South Africans and business owners who have lost much to the looting, he said declaring a state of emergency should only be implemented if other means fail to stabilise the situation.

“A state of emergency should only be declared when all other means have shown to be fruitless. No responsible government would want to implement as state of emergency on its citizens as it drastically limits the basic rights of the people.”

As of Friday, the death toll from the protests stands at 212, with 89 new deaths recorded in KwaZulu-Natal overnight, Ramaphosa announced.