Durban — The Police Ministry has applauded the 12-year sentence imposed on July unrest instigator Mdumiseni Khetha Zuma.
On Wednesday, the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court sentenced Zuma, aged 36, to 12 years imprisonment for his role in the July unrest in 2021.
KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the court sentenced Zuma to an effective 12 years imprisonment following his conviction on contravening Sections 17 and 18 of the Riotous Assemblies Act, where he incited people to gather and commit public violence. Zuma did this by making an inciteful video, pertaining to the Brookside Mall, and distributing it on WhatsApp.
Ramkisson-Kara said the charges relate to the incidents of looting and public violence, which occurred in July 2021 in parts of the country, especially KZN. During this time, the Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg was looted and burnt to the ground.
She said Senior State Advocate Yuri Gangai led the evidence from video footage, audio clips and the testimony of a guard who worked at the mall. Gangai further led the evidence of two experts who translated the audio clips.
In aggravation of sentence, Gangai led the testimony of the manager of the mall, at the time it was burned. The man said that the estimated damage caused by the looting and fire was approximately R500 million. He further stated that the mall serviced five different communities, as well as about 5 000 people who collected their South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants there. They have all been adversely affected by the burning down of the mall.
“Zuma was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for count 1 (two years of which are suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of the same offences during the period of suspension. He was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment (two years of which are to run concurrently with count 1). This results in the effective sentence of 12 years direct imprisonment,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
The Police Ministry is bolstered by the detective work that has led to the 12-year imprisonment of one of the inciters of violence during the failed insurrection, which claimed the lives of over 300 people and resulted in the destruction of property, worth billions of rands in the Gauteng and KZN in July 2021.
Speaking on the sidelines of Interpol's Annual General Meeting in Vienna, Police Minister Bheki Cele welcomed the sentence and the detective work that has led to it.
“The detective work gives us hope that the outstanding suspects will receive a similar fate, especially with the escalated charges for instigators and this sentence clearly illustrates that the long arm of the law will not be selective nor will it be kind,” Cele said.
As police investigations continue, the ministry anticipates that more suspects who had a hand in the wanton destruction of property and loss of life during the July unrest will be brought to book.
Meanwhile, on X (formerly Twitter) EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema said: “I don't think the so-called July 2021 instigator Mdumiseni Zuma got proper legal representation. I’ve since asked our KZN Provincial Chair to get the facts and how we can be of assistance.”
I don't think the so called July 2021 Instigator Mdumiseni Zuma got a proper legal representation. I've since asked our KZN Provincial Chair to get the facts and how we can be of assistance.
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) November 29, 2023
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