South Africa on high alert ahead of Zuma court appearance
South African police officers have been deployed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal ahead of former president Jacob Zuma’s court appearance on Tuesday.
The City Press reported that national police commissioner Khehla Sitole had extended the deployment of SA Police Service (SAPS) members to the two hot spot provinces.
This deployment, which will last until Saturday, is to deal with potential protests linked to Zuma’s court case in Pietermaritzburg for alleged corruption.
The high alert followed looting and riots in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng after Zuma was jailed for contempt of court.
Rioters destroyed thousands of businesses, including malls, shopping centres, banks, and ATMs, in the two provinces.
More than 200 people lost their lives, and over 2,500 were arrested for partaking in the looting and public violence.
The SA Police Service and the government’s security cluster were blamed for not being prepared for the violence despite several warnings.
In the aftermath of the riots and looting, President Cyril Ramaphosa reshuffled his cabinet with a strong focus on the security cluster.
The changes included replacing former Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, with Thandi Modise.
He also did away with the intelligence ministry and moved the State Security Agency to the office of the Presidency.
The extended deployment of police officers follows reports that a protest is being planned for 10 August when former President Jacob Zuma appears in court.
Police are reportedly worried that stolen ammunition could be used in new attacks.
Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies Johan Burger warned that the stolen ammunition could be used during more public violence.
It did not take long for Burger’s warning to become true. News24 reported that the stolen ammunition had already been used to attack police officers on Thursday.
“Gunmen, who fired on police officers conducting a raid in Lamontville, south of Durban, were armed with stolen ammunition looted from a container during the rampant unrest,” the report said.
Bullet casings recovered from the shooting scene in Durban were linked to the cache of stolen ammunition.
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