Social unrest warning for South Africa

Parts of South Africa are warned of potential social unrest ahead of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s scheduled court appearance on terrorism-related charges, while service disconnections in Johannesburg have caused frustration.

Zuma-Sambudla, an MK Party MP and daughter of former President Jacob Zuma faces allegations of incitement to commit terrorism linked to a series of tweets she allegedly posted during the July 2021 unrest.

That period of turmoil led to over 350 deaths and inflicted an estimated R50 billion blow to the South African economy.

Authorities are bracing for potential disturbances, with a senior Crime Intelligence official revealing that all units have been placed on high alert.

“We are expecting flare-ups. Every single unit has been told to stay on high alert. We cannot take any chances because this individual thrived in the unrest,” the official stated.

Zuma-Sambudla was previously blamed for encouraging the 2021 riots when she posted pictures of destruction and wrote, “We see you.”

She used the same phrase again on Tuesday after news of her court case became public.

Police are taking extra precautions and will be stationed in key areas of KwaZulu-Natal, especially in Durban.

Intelligence reports say MK Party supporters from different provinces, including Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, are planning to travel to the city.

WhatsApp groups are sharing posters encouraging people to attend, using slogans like #HandsOffDuduzileZuma, “submit or fight,” and “twenty-twenty-fight.”

Law enforcement remains on standby, determined to avoid a repeat of the violent scenes that unfolded in 2021.

Service delivery failures

Meanwhile, Johannesburg is facing its own wave of unrest as service disconnections fuel community outrage.

The City of Johannesburg, along with City Power, Joburg Water, and the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO), has launched an operation to disconnect illegally bypassed electricity and water meters, leading to protests in various parts of the city.

Recent disconnections in City Deep (on 20 January) and Kliptown Flats (on 15 January) have brought longstanding issues of tampering and vandalism to the forefront.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena emphasised that JOSHCO residents are contractually obligated to refrain from tampering with infrastructure.

“As time went by, we realised that some of the meters within the JOSHCO properties have actually been vandalised, and that’s why we have been moving into these properties to disconnect those that have been tampered with,” Mangena said.

Since the operation began last week, City Power has disconnected 350 units.

However, these actions have sparked anger among residents, many of whom claim they have been without electricity for over two weeks.

Some have taken to the streets, barricading roads with rubbish bins and voicing their frustration.

One resident dismissed the operation as unjust, insisting that they pay for their electricity despite City Power’s assertion that illegal connections and tampering are rampant in the area.

With tensions rising in both Durban and Johannesburg, authorities are remaining watchful. The situation in Durban is especially serious because of the political support behind Zuma-Sambudla’s case.

Meanwhile, the fight over electricity in Johannesburg is likely to continue as residents resist the cut-offs.