President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation has left many South Africans disappointed, with some saying he did not share a concrete plan on how to deal with the ongoing looting.
Looting in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal has caused damage amounting to millions of rands and has resulted in thousands of retail workers facing a dark cloud of uncertainty.
Ramaphosa called for the looting and anarchy in KZN and Gauteng to stop.
He also said that from Tuesday there would be a high visibility of police and army personnel.
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, known as NatJOINTS, has intensified deployments in all the affected areas in the two provinces that are hotspots.
“The South African Police Service is putting measures in place to call up operational members from leave and rest days to increase the presence of law enforcement personnel on the ground,” Ramaphosa said.
He said: “The NatJOINTS is receiving support from the Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee comprising SAPS Crime Intelligence, Defence Intelligence and State Security.
“In addition to greater visibility and an intelligence-driven presence in potential hotspots, we will be prioritising the prosecution of suspects alleged to be involved in this violence. The National Security Council, which I chair as Commander-in-Chief, will be meeting twice a day to coordinate all measures necessary to restore stability.
“Let me be clear: we will take action to protect every person in this country against the threat of violence, intimidation, theft and looting. We will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute those who perpetrate these actions and will ensure that they face the full might of our law.”
In his tweet, Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said: “The nation is expecting Ramaphosa to withdraw and apologise for his unthought-through, reckless and divisive utterances about ethnic mobilisation.”
The Nation is expecting President Ramaphosa to withdraw and apologise for his unthought-through, reckless and devisive utterances about ethnic mobilisation. https://t.co/JvBiOI1XA6
— Mzwanele Manyi (@MzwaneleManyi) July 12, 2021
Businesswoman Mandisa Khanyile asked Ramaphosa to remove the alert level 4 lockdown so that business people could defend themselves.
“Ramaphosa, stop holding us hostage to draconian lockdown when you won’t help us build back our businesses. Open the economy. We will fend for ourselves. You have severely failed to aid us,” said Khanyile.
According to the tweets on Monday night, Ramaphosa’s speech did not go over well with most fellow South Africans.
The people who Ramaphosa is speaking to are not listening because they are busy doing what his administration and that of all the president's this country has had do best LOOT!
— Basetsana Phora (@TSANA_P) July 12, 2021
President Ramaphosa saying a bunch of nothing 😭 This was just a waste of time, the country will continue burning. pic.twitter.com/kUTvCXEs31
— Okhethwe AmaNgwane®️♎ (@Cecilia_Mthwane) July 12, 2021
President Ramaphosa Looted 500Billion with his friends and He Has a Nerve to Come on Our Screens to Complain about Looters🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️
— S I D W E L L🧚♂️ (@MalumSid) July 12, 2021
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech lacked empathy, authority and solutions. For a moment it felt like I was watching a robot reading out what it was programmed to say.
— Man’s NOT Barry Roux (@AdvoBarryRoux) July 12, 2021
President Ramaphosa and this address pic.twitter.com/EQB75qXiAN
— ʸˢᵒˢᵉʳⁱᵒᵘˢ🎈 (@clownttings) July 12, 2021