What's Behind Social Unrest in South Africa and What Can Be Done?
South Africa has among the highest recorded levels of social protest of any country in the world. The reasons behind this are more complex than often assumed. The scale and severity of the looting and sabotage in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng in July, following the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma, has brought social protest and civil unrest into the popular discourse.
But much of the commentary on the July riot - which cost over 300 lives and billions of rands in damage to the economy - has neglected the long history of violent protest in the country. The truth is that, while disgruntlement by Zuma's supporters was the trigger, the roots of social unrest go much deeper, write Ivan Turok, Justin Visagie and Sharlene Swartz for The Conversation.
Violence erupted in July 2021 in the provinces of KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng when former president Jacob Zuma began serving a 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court over failing to appear before the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into state capture. Looters vandalised shopping malls, other retail outlets, businesses, factories and infrastructure with over 1,000 people arrested as a result.
-
South Africa:
What Lies Behind Social Unrest, and What Might Be Done About It
The Conversation Africa, 18 August 2021
South Africa has among the highest recorded levels of social protest of any country in the world. The reasons behind this are more complex than often assumed. Read more »
-
South Africa:
July Unrest Shattered Our 'Rainbow Nation' Illusion - Now We Must Rebuild Unity and Diversity Through Acts of Ubuntu
Daily Maverick, 17 August 2021
The rainbow nation envisaged by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu can only thrive in a country that appreciates and protects its multiculturalism and multiracialism. Read more »
-
South Africa:
R340 Million Funding for SA Businesses
SAnews.gov.za, 17 August 2021
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has announced the new JP Morgan funding facility to the tune of R342 million for South African businesses, under the Equity… Read more »
-
South Africa:
Recent Unrest Will Disrupt GDP Growth, Finance Committee Hears
Parliament of South Africa, 18 August 2021
The recent social unrest in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga is expected to temporarily interrupt South Africa's 2021 gross domestic product (GDP) growth. The three provinces… Read more »
-
South Africa:
Soweto Small Businesses Forced to Adapt or Die After the Double Whammy of Civil Unrest and Covid-19
Daily Maverick, 18 August 2021
Small businesses brought to their knees by the pandemic have had to be innovative to stay alive after last month's violent protest and looting of businesses in Gauteng and… Read more »
InFocus
-
Tensions flared between black Africans and Indians following killings in Phoenix, north of Durban, during unrest that affected large parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. In a press ... Read more »
-
Opposition party ActionSA has called on people and businesses affected by looting and violence to share their experiences as part of a groundbreaking class-action lawsuit ... Read more »
-
When former president Jacob Zuma was arrested on July 7, 2021 and jailed for refusing to appear at an inquiry into high-level corruption during his nine years in office, his supp Read more »
-
Widespread looting and unrest in KwaZuku-Natal (KZN) has hit crucial health services hard, writes Nokulunga Majola for GroundUp. Clinics were closed in eThekwini and many ... Read more »
A looted shop in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal, in July 2021.