Johannesburg- A year into since the riots in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng which occurred after former President Jacob Zuma's arrest, the country is still trying to come to terms with the horrific unrest.
IOL took to the streets to get people’s views as today marks one year since the 2021“July Unrest” that left thousands jobless and businesses, infrastructure and private properties damaged and destroyed.
Dimpho Maboya said the unrest had a negative impact and strain on the economy as many taxpayers were left jobless, businesses could not operate and even informal traders could not trade because they were afraid of losing their stock and belongings.
"We can't let our anger and frustrations drive us to destroy things that are beneficial to us and the entire country. I mean people looted even the pharmacy as well as post offices," she said.
However, Kgontse Sithole's view was that people looted out of desperation - hunger and unemployment. "South Africa has topped the bar in terms of unemployment. Imagine the majority of the youth is not working, amongst them graduates, hustlers, entrepreneurs, all trying to make a living," he said.
Sithole said the riots reflected the youth's frustrations and cries for employment to make a better living for themselves and their families.
"Some of us are breadwinners at home. Imagine having to feed a family of seven and out of the seven you are the only one working and making means that everyone under the roof is covered," he said.
Titus Macdonalds told IOL that he believed that some of the looting was done to frustrate the government as “ordered” from other people.
"I believe someone from a very top position or who is well-known gave an order to people to damage anything that they came across. I mean the police could not even do anything to stop the looting, soldiers had to be deployed to maintain peace.
“How is that possible? But I am glad we managed to overcome that as a country. I wish we can just be united, fight unemployment and poverty," he said.
Some of the youth interviewed urged government to create employment for young people to prevent future outbreaks of such violent protests, whether spontaneous or instigated by people who benefit from such destruction.
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