Pretoria: Six alleged instigators behind nearly a week of violent unrest in South Africa have been arrested. Addressing a media briefing here on Monday, he said, “This is the latest update that we have just received. Three have already appeared in the court, but they have been sent to custody for hearing on bail.”
Natshwani said other alleged perpetrators of the violence are likely to appear in court during this week.
“The charges against him include incitement to public violence and the arrests we are referring to are not related to arrests in connection with robbery,” he said.
He said the police were working with community members to ensure that those responsible for the robbery were caught.
Last week, Police Minister Bhiki Sele said they were pursuing 12 people who incited the violence.
Natshaweni said the situation in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng has stabilized and that no new incidents of looting have been reported recently.
He said last week’s violence was well planned and incited.
The fact that blood pouches were stolen from the blood banks showed the ‘seriousness’ and ‘inhuman nature’ of the instigators of the riots, which was supposed to undermine the authority of the state.
Natshwani said that the warning report about the riots was acted upon in time.
More than 2,500 people have been arrested in the country in connection with the violent protests that erupted on July 7 over the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma.
The death toll in this has gone up to 212.
In the wake of the violence, the number of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) deployed has increased to 25,000.
The deployment of the defense force will continue till August 12.
Zuma, once known for his fight against apartheid, has been jailed for 15 months at the Estcourt Correctional Center for defying court orders.
He did not testify before the judicial commission that was probing corruption charges against him between 2009-2018.
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