Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni: Security and restoration of socio-economic activities

23 Jul 2021

Fellow South Africans and members of the media

Progress with investigations on the deaths and damage to property

The SAPS has not revised the total number of deaths in Gauteng remains the same at 79 and KwaZulu-Natal the number has been reduced downward from 258 to 251 as some deaths were previously included were not related to the unrests. The number of deaths is revised when there is positive confirmation of deaths as related to the incidents and when those who were injured succumb to their injuries.

Of the reported deaths in Gauteng to date, the breakdown per District is as follows:

Murders:

• Sedibeng = 4
• Johannesburg = 11
• Ekurhuleni = 27
• Total murder cases for Gauteng = 42

Inquests:

• Sedibeng = 3
• Johannesburg = 12
• Ekurhuleni = 22
• Total inquest dockets in Gauteng = 37

To date, there are no deaths reported in Tshwane and West Rand.

Of the 251 deaths reported deaths in KwaZulu-Natal to date, the breakdown per District is as follows:

Murders:

• Amajuba = 1
• Harry Gwala = 3
• Umzinyathi = 3
• Umkhanyakude = 3
• King Cetshwayo = 6
• Ilembe = 8
• Ugu = 9
• Umungundlovu = 20
• Ethekwini = 110

Total cases of murder in KZN =  163

Inquests:

• Umkhanyakude = 1
• King Cetshwayo = 2
• Umzinyathi = 3
• Amajuba = 3
• Ugu = 4
• Harry Gwala = 7
• Umgungundlovu  = 15
• Ethekwini = 52

Total inquest dockets for KwaZulu-Natal = 87

Culpable homicide = 1 (Ethikwini)

To date, there are no deaths reported in Uthukela and Zululand.

5 additional people were arrested for the unrests related murders in KwaZulu-Natal and bringing the total arrests for the murders to 20. The 5 additional arrests are in connection to the murders in Phoenix.

There are no new updates on the arrests of the instigators and key role players in the unrests.

Given that the security situation has stabilised, the Security Updates will now be held once a week.

Transnet IT Infrastructure breach

The IT breach at Transnet is still regarded as an unrelated to the unrests. Transnet is seized with activities to restore full operations and it is expected that Transnet Freight and Rail will be operational later today. Minister Pravin Gordhan together with the management of Transnet earlier today met with industry players affected by the disruption of Transnet operations to explain measures being undertaken to restore operations and prevent future attacks.

Vaccinations

The acting Minister of Health, Mmamoloko Kubayi is currently in KZN to assess the impact of the unrests on both the vaccination programme and the health care service in general to enable the Department to support the Province on a catch-up programme. We continue to remind South Africans not to buy stolen medicines as it may be contaminated and dangerous to their health. In addition, the acting Minister has announced that the EVDS has been enhanced for self – scheduling to allow South Africans to schedule their own appoints for vaccination and that walk-ins to vaccination sites are allowed. The elderly will continue to be supported with scheduled appoints and given preference at vaccination sites in the cases of walk-ins and same priority will be given to persons with disabilities.

Government once more extends its appreciation to the partnership with the private sector that has allowed South Africa to reach 250,000 vaccines administered in a day. By yesterday, the country had reached over 6 million South Africans that have been vaccinated.

Next week we plan to commence with Economic Intervention Package briefings after the President has addressed the nation on Sunday.

I thank you.

Issued by The Presidency, 23 June 2021