Conditions Continue to Stabilise: Food Operations Return to KZN, More Instigators Arrested

LOCAL NEWS

• Things continued to stabilise over the weekend in Gauteng & KZN, but murmurings about a second wave of unrest once the SANDF move off remain a slight concern to a more protracted crisis but seem unlikely to reach the scale of the initial movement.
  • The Key N3 highway remains open, protected by SANDS troops with Tiger brands and Spar resuming food delivery operations in KZN. 7k SANDF troops remain in Gauteng and 5k in KZN
• Ramaphosa called for unity within the country and ANC over the weekend, vowing to prosecute looters.
  • Police were active recovering looted goods over the weekend and also arrested 3 more alleged instigators of the unrest – all of whom are expected to face court trials shortly.
• Opposition parties have called for instigators to be jailed and the ANC to be held accountable for any further attacks.
  • Ramaphosa said racial violence in KZN was concerning and would be monitored. Also said future unrest could not be fully ruled out.
• Defence Minister contradicts Ramaphosa's statements that the unrest in SA was a failed insurrection, saying it was criminality driving the looting and riots with "counter-revolutionary" forces at play, seeking to sow division
• Zuma seeks postponement to his corruption trial due today in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, citing unrest and Covid-19 restrictions.
  • He also argued against a digital hearing and for his immediate aquittal of all charges without trial
• Analysts say figures for expected looting damages are massively underestimated. Durban's losses seen at R20bn alone, in loss of stock and damage to property, while the whole bill probably comes closer to R50bn