Where does the violence suddenly come from?
“The direct reason for all the violence is the conviction and detention of former president Jacob Zuma,” says Houttuin. Zuma is accused of corruption but refuses to cooperate in a criminal investigation. He didn’t even show up in court. That is called contempt of court, and Zuma is not thanked for that. “He has now been jailed for 15 months,” says Houttuin. In the Kwazulu-Natal province, where Zuma comes from and still has a large following, protests quickly turned into riots and looting. They have now spread to other parts of the country.
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Is former president Zuma still so popular?
”Yes,” says Houttuin. “Among South Africans and within the ANC.” The ANC – the African National Congress – is still South Africa’s largest party, but its membership is dwindling due to squabbles within the party.
Houttuin: ”The party is divided to the bone. On one side you have the Zuma camp. On the other side, the camp of current president Cyril Ramaphosa. He succeeded Zuma and wants to take major steps when it comes to fighting corruption.” And that clashes because Zuma is accused of corruption. The two camps of the ANC are therefore diametrically opposed. “The fear is that this rift is so deep that the party will eventually split,” says Houttuin.
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Does the unrest have another cause?
South Africa must be one of the richest countries in Africa, but economically the country is now being hit hard. There is poverty and unemployment is high. Houttuin: ”Politicians claim that the looting is pure opportunism, but many experts think otherwise. This is an expression of deeper problems in South Africa, they say: growing social inequality, dissatisfaction with the government. Add to that the economic malaise that corona brings, and you understand why little was needed to make the bucket overflow. Zuma’s punishment and arrest and the subsequent protests were a catalyst.”
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What now?
Dozens of people have been killed in the violence in South Africa in recent days. Victims were crushed to death during mass looting. Houttuin: ”Because the police can’t handle it, the army has now also been deployed. So far, that doesn’t seem to be doing much.”
In South Africa, the defense minister is refusing to declare a state of emergency for the time being. That would deprive citizens who behave normally too much freedom, according to the minister.
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Once order is restored, what then?
“Well, then the dissatisfaction among Zuma supporters is still there,” says Houttuin. Deep-seated problems lie at the root of this unrest. And those are not easily solved in such a large and complex country.”
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