Minister Bheki Cele welcomes sentence of 12 years direct imprisonment for July unrest instigator

29 November 2023

The Ministry of Police 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 KwaZulu-Natal provinces in July 2021.

The Pietermaritzburg Regional Court on Wednesday, 29 November 2023 sentenced Mdumiseni Khetha Zuma to 12 years direct imprisonment for his role in the deadly July unrest in 2021. 

Thirty six year old Zuma was convicted for contravening Sections 17 and 18 of the Riotous Assemblies Act, where he posted on WhatsApp, provocative messages inciting people to gather and commit public violence, targeting the Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg in KZN. During the unrest, the mall was looted and burnt to the ground adversely affecting thousands of community members.

Speaking at the sidelines of the INTERPOL 91st Annual General Meeting hosted on Vienna, Minister of Police General Bheki Cele welcomed the sentence and the detective work that has led to the sentencing.

“The Detective work gives us hope that the outstanding suspects will receive 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” concluded Cele.

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. 

Issued by Lirandzu Themba, Police Ministry Spokesperson, 30 November 2023