By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) will on Monday release the 2021 July unrest investigative hearings reports in Durban.
The SAHRC said that two reports will be jointly released by the two chapter nine bodies on the investigative work carried out into specific issues following the unrest that occurred in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
The commission held an imbizo attended by various stakeholders to ascertain the full scope of the work. Subsequently, a national investigative hearing into the 2021 July unrest was conducted, sitting in both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
The reports cover investigative work carried out into specific issues during the violence and looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July 2021.
A panel was tasked with establishing the root cause of the alleged racially motivated attacks and killings, the causes of the lapses in law enforcement and the role of private security companies during the unrest.
Government departments, state entities, business chambers and members of the affected communities gave evidence. President Cyril Ramaphosa was also called before the commission.
The violence in the two provinces was sparked by the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma.
The unrest left 400 people dead in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, and cost the economy billions of rands.
Following the unprecedented violence, the South African Human Rights Commission held an series of hearings into specific issues.
At the same time, the CRL Rights Commission conducted investigative hearings at which various stakeholders and affected parties presented their reports and evidence.
“Both the South African Human Rights Commission and the CRL Rights Commission have since completed their reports with findings and recommendations and plan to publicly launch the two reports, together,” said SAHRC spokesperson Wisani Baloyi.
“Both reports talk about the findings that are in line with the mandate of each institution and it gives recommendations,” added Baloyi.