Late on Sunday evening reports started filtering through that social media was ablaze with inflammatory messages advocating for violence and making the country ungovernable. While fears of further unrest following July’s violent protests in the wake of the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma, may have been in the back of many people’s minds, South Africa’s National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure assured the nation that adequate security measures were in place.
More than 5500 law enforcement officers were deployed on the streets of Gauteng to maintain order. As the day progressed there were no signs of distress as business carried on as usual.
But how are we to trust our security and intelligence clusters when they failed us so dismally a month ago? In the Sunday Times Daily editorial, the publication says President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent cabinet reshuffle and consolidation of the intelligence cluster into the presidency will be tested heavily as the week unfolds and Zuma supporters look for an opportunity to strike. As the publication says in its headline – the security cluster failed us last month, “It cannot do so again.”
While News24 editor Adriaan Basson asks why the 12 people who were identified as the main instigators of the July unrest still haven’t been brought to book. As Basson outlines it, “The state is yet to publish Police Minister Bheki Cele’s list of so-called 12 instigators behind the violence and destruction. It is unclear whether any of those arrested so far were on the list, or if the authorities are still building their cases against the masterminds.
“In the days after the violence, the security cluster said it suspected former State Security Agency officials of being behind the attacks. None of them has been arrested. It is not even clear if the “list of 12” is still a thing.”
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One thing remains for certain we must be adequately protected as citizens, those responsible for the unrest and any future violent protesting must be brought before the law to account for their actions.
Here’s a roundup of the most interesting opinions and analyses:
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Lesson for the government is clear: the people don’t trust you – Carol Paton (for subscribers)
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Crime stats another chance for SA’s ministry of silly excuses to shine – Rob Rose
Daily Maverick
Mining giant BHP: The Big Australian goes home – Tim Cohen
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Mail & Guardian
Africa needs to reset its relationship with the IMF – Danny Bradlow
Mpofu-Walsh’s book ‘The New Apartheid’ misses the point on common and contract law – Dan Mafora and Sfiso Nxumalo
News24 / Fin24
The state pension mess is a shocker – Helena Wasserman (for subscribers)
Parliament’s stature and standing on the precipice of withering away – Ebrahim Fakir
South Africa’s youth setting the example with Covid-19 vaccinations – Cyril Ramaphosa
