Many children among arrested during July riots
Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu says many children were among those arrested on looting and public violence charges earlier this year.
Zulu testified on Wednesday at the South African Human Rights Commission's hearings into the July unrest.
She says the children from both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng were assessed and placed back in the care of their families.
"All the children who were arrested during the period of public violence were assessed accordingly in line with the child justice act and placed with their parents.
"So work and psychosocial support services were rendered to individuals and families that have that experienced the trauma associated with the July unrest.
"Other services included household profiling, referrals including assisting with birth certificates and IDs, social relief and placement of children in places of safety."
The minister says the department's conducted an overview on how the violence affected disadvantaged communities in KwaZulu Natal.
Meanwhile, the KZN police commissioner says the former defence minister created the impression during her testimony before human rights commissioners that the province's police service did nothing during the July civil unrest.
Earlier this month, former minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told the commission there was a lack of cooperation from the KZN SAPS top brass when the province was hit by riots.
But Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi says they have records showing otherwise.
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