Aashwinshanker

Six days of unrest in South Africa and the three Guptas connection.

South Africa is experiencing its worst unrest since the end white minority rule or the apartheid in 1994. Riots and looting have spread to several cities after the ex president of South Africa Jacob Zuma was sentenced to fifteen months of jail time after contempt of court.

Jacob Zuma has been found guilty on one charge of racketeering, twelve counts of fraud, and several corruption charges including the $25 million of taxpayers money used for home renovations.

Jacob Zuma was the president of South Africa from 2009-2018. He belongs to the Zulu tribe which is the largest ethnic community of South Africa. The citizens believe that the jailing of Jacob Zuma is an attack on their community because he was revered as a “man of the people” by most South Africans.

What is the Indian connection to the unrest?

“Guptagate” was an incident dubbed by the South African media after an immediate outcry and massive protests in 2013 when an air base Waterkloof near Pretoria made for use only by visiting heads of states and diplomatic delegates was instead used to transport guests for the wedding of one of the relatives of the Gupta family via a charter plane.

The three Gupta brothers Ajay, Atul, and Rajesh Gupta own many businesses in South Africa including coal mines, computer manufacturing business, newspapers and a media outlet. Many South Africans have used the three brothers of meddling with various elections in South Africa and the ex-president Jacob Zuma is also known to favour the Gupta family.

The Gupta family was also accused of favouritism in filling cabinet posts when they advised Jacob Zuma to elect Mcebisi Hubert Jonas as the deputy finance minister in 2016. Mr. Zuma is known to have very close connections with the Billionaire Gupta family.

How did the unrest disrupt peace in South Africa?

More than 70 people have been killed and over a thousand injured since the protest began last week over the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma. Most of the protest is taking place in Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), but the looting and rioting has also spread to other provinces like Gauteng, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.

The mayor of Ethekwini, a municipality that includes Durban, estimated that 15 billion rand ($1 billion) had been lost in damage to property and another billion in loss of stock.(reuters)

Due to the “Guptagate” and ex-president Zuma’s connection with the Gupta family many Indian shops and commercial buildings have been specifically targeted. Apart from the Zulu tribe, Indians form the second biggest community in the KwaZulu-Natal province.

The South African government plans to deploy additional 25,000 troops as the police and security forces have been stretched thin in quelling the riots and looting spread across various provinces.

Incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa said he understands that the people are emotional at this moment but there is no justification for the violence.

Meanwhile Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane Zuma has urged rioters and looters to “loot carefully and responsibly” on Instagram. This shows Duduzane’s commitment to the Zulu tribe, his father and the whole of South Africa. In a sense if given a chance Duduzane Zuma could be a better president than his father!

17 comments

  1. It’s a sad state and huge loss. Condolences to the lives lost and wishing peace to the country. The seeds of corruption run deep and are very destructive but that Sucks and quote takes the floor

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  3. Ironic, Aashwinshanker, How South Africa’s Plight
    With A Criminal X-Leader’s Support Is Harming

    Those Who Support Him Most

    Not Much Different

    Than the “Trump

    Meme” In the United
    States of what Some of
    His Supporters Have Promised

    If He is Similarly Held Responsible

    For His Criminal Deeds in Terms of
    ‘Civil War’ to Bring Him Back to Power…

    People are Alike All Over

    No Matter
    First, Second,

    Or Third World
    Country; Indeed, People
    Are Alike All Over; Answers

    Must Come in Unity More Than Division…

    True That Much hasn’t Changed From the Beginning
    Of this Otherwise Cooperating Less Furry Ape Called Human…

    Yet Square Root

    One Problem

    We Are Evolved

    to LiVE iN Relatively

    Small Groups in Balance

    With Nature Like the Rest of
    Nature; Yet Our CuLTURES We Create Now
    Are What Sadly Becomes A ‘Pandemic’

    We Abstract

    Construct

    That is

    Taking Us

    to the Pathway

    of Nature Balancing Us
    Back-Out including Us too
    As Simply More Hands of Nature

    Both in Creation And Destruction too
    in Both DarK And LiGHT From Space
    View it Would Seem ‘The Virus’ (US) is Cleansing
    Itself in Chaos Now Until Balance Returns As A

    Greatest

    Law

    of Existence

    FRiEnDS With
    Gravity Lest Planets
    Fall Away From Stars..:)

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • I hope innocent people won’t suffer due to the unrest. I also hope that the government don’t retort to harsh ways of suppressing the protest that may led to casualties.

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment