More 2021 riot arrests on the cards

More alleged instigators who stoked the fires of July 2021’s looting and scenes of unbridled violence that engulfed KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng are expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court this week. This, after 22 accused appeared before Magistrate Anand Maharaj on Friday. The majority of the accused were arrested on Thursday, and three more arrests were made on Friday. Advocates Mahen Naidu and Yuri Gangai were the prosecutors. The Sunday Tribune reports that the 22 accused have been charged with conspiracy to commit public violence, incitement to commit public violence as well as incitement to commit arson. A senior ANC Youth League leader in the Musa Dladla region, Sanele Masuku, was among them. They were each granted bail of R3 000 and the matter was adjourned to 26 August. News24 reports that the case against Mattews Tjontjo – believed to be one of the instigators of the unrest – has been transferred from the Ventersdorp Magistrate's Court in North West to the Durban Regional Court, where his bail application will be heard. Tjontjo will remain in police custody until the case resumes on Wednesday. There was speculation that former President Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, was likely to be among the accused. However, Major-general Lesetja Senona, the Hawks head in KZN, denied this, although it was confirmed she is under investigation. She was among those the opposition Democratic Alliance brought incitement to violence charges against in July 2022. The NPA secured the conviction of and an effective five-year prison sentence for Lungelo Nthenga in June. He pleaded guilty to three counts of unrest-related theft.