SAHRC: No evidence to link Zuma arrest to July unrest

But it says the evidence shows the riots were orchestrated.

Commissioner Philile Ntuli has been presenting the commission's final report on the riots that broke out in KZN and parts of Gauteng.

"It is probable that the unrest was undertaken to destabilise the South African economy; however, it will be ultimately within the preview of the South African Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority to make a conclusive finding regarding the orchestration of the July unrest."      

Speaking at the release of the report in Umhlanga, Ntuli added that the primary actors in the civil unrest were well-resourced.

She says these individuals mobilised secondary actors to attack malls and other places.

"The blocking of the N3 and the N2, the calculated distraction of factories and warehouses, the organised disconnection of security and fire alarm systems, the attack on government communications facilities at the Durban Port, and the bombing and removal of ATMs together cannot be viewed as mutually distinct. These events point to a significant investment in the execution of the July unrest.”

Ntuli says the commission was not able to pinpoint a specific group.

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"While the evidence pointed to high-level orchestration, the common purpose or intention behind the unrest remains unclear. The violence and distraction were symptomatic of unresolved systematic conditions, including post-COVID-19 economic recovery, high unemployment, lawlessness, discrimination, socio-economic divides and issues within the security sector."   

The SAHRC has concluded the government and private sector have a responsibility to address the socio-economic inequalities in South Africa. 

"There's a need for all South Africans to have a share in the economy and for common ownership of the country's vast, natural and other resources. The unrest has demonstrated to all of us the need to create a legitimate inclusive economy. The state must invest in monitoring and evaluation tools and resources to record and measure the impact upon implementing the socio-economic action steps."