Saturday, July 17, 2021

South Africa riots: fears of race war build as vigilantes roam streets on Nelson Mandela’s birthday

More than 100 people have died and 25,000 troops have been deployed amid violence and looting in the darkest moment for the ‘Rainbow Nation’ since apartheid ended
Armed community members gather around a fire at a road block in Phoenix Township, North Durban, to stop looters (Photo: Guillem Sartorio/AFP)

By Yeshiel Panchia
July 17, 2021 

In the early hours on the streets of Vosloorus, Johannesburg, gunshots ring out. A dozen taxi drivers fire handguns into the air, and then into a crowd of several hundred looters attempting to pick at the remains of Chris Hani mall. As the gunfire continues and looters flee, several dozen armed police look on.

At least one person – a young boy, Vusi Dlamini – died from a gunshot wound to the head. His family claim the bullet was fired by a member of the taxi association -ostensibly unions that protect the rights and travel routes of South Africa’s main form of transport, but known for violence and political influence.

As the taxi industry, private security firms and armed citizens take on a vigilante role, community groups in Johannesburg and Durban are forming roadblocks, searching vehicles and making arrests.

Some exchange gunfire with looters as they try to protect suburbs and shops amid food and fuel shortages. Ugly racial tensions are coming to the fore. On Wednesday, in the predominantly Indian neighbourhood of Phoenix, Durban, several looters were allegedly shot dead by armed vigilantes.

A burnt-out vehicle at an intersection in Phoenix. The unrest in South Africa has led to more than 100 deaths (Photo: AP Photo)

The hashtag #PhoenixMassacre trended on social media, with many posters furious at what was perceived as racist violence from Indian vigilantes against black South Africans. “[President Cyril] Ramaphosa reversed everything, apartheid is back,” one social media user commented over a video in which armed white and Indian residents were seen holding black men at gunpoint. The violence has stoked concerns that a race war is on the horizon
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A South African National Defence Force Rooikat armoured reconnaissance vehicle seen during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Durban on Friday after 25,000 troops were deployed across the country (Photo: Rajesh Jantilal/AFP via Getty)

South Africa has just endured its darkest week since becoming a constitutional democracy in 1994. The riots have left at least 117 people dead, cost the economy an estimated R70bn (£3.5bn) and laid bare deep failures by the security infrastructure to predict and combat lawlessness.

Underlying inequality has been exposed in a country failing to live up to its name of the Rainbow Nation – one veteran police officer said the scenes were more familiar to what he experienced under apartheid. “I haven’t seen anything like this in years. It’s like being back in the 80s.”


And the unrest and sabotage has taken place against the backdrop of a surge in Covid-19 cases.




South Africa riots map: Where looting and violence are tearing through nation after ex-president Zuma jailed

Demonstrations began last week against the jailing of former South African president Jacob Zuma on 7 July. He handed himself in to police to serve 15 months for contempt of court, for defying an order to attend a judicial inquiry into allegations of corruption during his presidency, which ended in 2018.

Zuma’s supporters reacted furiously to his incarceration, blockading major roads and calling for a shutdown to demand his release. But the protests, most of which were initially in Zuma’s home province of Kwa-Zulu Natal, soon spread and turned into widespread destruction.

At first, the unrest was seen as spontaneous and driven by criminal elements, but the targeting of goods transit routes, telecommunications and hospitals has led intelligence agencies to consider the possibility of an orchestrated insurrection, with suspicion falling on former State Security Agency operatives from the Zuma administration.
Families protest against the looting which has destroyed businesses over the past week in post-apartheid South Africa’s worst crisis (Photo: Rajesh Jantilal/AFP)

Police were slow to respond to unrest in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng provinces, and soon found themselves overwhelmed, with 25,000 soldiers called up to assist.

In Alexandra, Johannesburg, police were deployed to support riot officers, but lacked non-lethal weapons due to shortages. Rubber bullets ran out in hours and officers were forced to withdraw to avoid using live ammunition on protesters. Scenes like this were common across the country.

South Africa entered relative calm on Friday, with only sporadic violence reported. However, as winter sets in and huge queues build for food and fuel, volunteers sweep the streets and store owners count the damage, many are wondering whether there can be any hope for what was meant to be a global example of racial unity and transformation.


Saturday is Mandela Day, the birthday of the anti-apartheid leader, when citizens traditionally perform acts of service to support their communities. It remains to be seen whether South Africans have the will keep Mandela’s dream alive.

Yeshiel Panchia is a freelance journalist in Johannesburg

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