- Pressure is mounting on Cyril Ramaphosa as political parties call for accountability.
- COPE has joined the call for the instigators behind the unrest to be jailed.
- Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said police were "tying the loose ends" in its investigation.
COPE has called for President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet to arrest the instigators behind the recent civil unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
On Sunday, the opposition party described the instigators as a "danger" to the country's communities.
Four people have, so far, been arrested on suspicion of instigating the unrest.
Poverty does not only mean great lack of material resources. There is also poverty of thought and poverty of conscience which are the worst. The problem in #SouthAfrica is a lot of political leaders, business leaders and intellectuals have those worst forms of poverty. #SAUnrest
— Itumeleng Tau (@TumiTau) July 18, 2021
I also strongly believe some people in government knew that violence would occur and did nothing.#SAUnrest | #10111
— ??Mos Mvulane???????? (@MothaTechno) July 18, 2021
COPE president Mosiuoa Lekota said: "If there are any further attacks in the country, then President Ramaphosa and the government must take full responsibility.
"COPE acknowledges President Ramaphosa's walkabouts in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng to assess the damage that was caused by these instigators. The biggest and unforgivable damage they have caused was taking the lives of more than 200 human beings."
On Friday, during a media briefing, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said police were "tying the loose ends" in its investigation into 12 alleged instigators behind the volatile unrest of the last week.
Ntshavheni added that investigations were "at an advanced stage" and anything was likely to happen over the weekend regarding possible arrests.