The DA is calling on the police to speed up the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma’s children following the arrest of social media influencer, Zamaswazi Majozi, who was apprehended over the weekend for allegedly using her Twitter account to incite riots and looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July.
Majozi, popularly known as Sphithiphithi Evaluator, stands accused of spreading content that led to the looting and burning of Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg, KZN.
She appeared before the Germiston Magistrate's Court on Monday and was granted R3 000 bail. In July, the opposition party laid criminal charges against Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, Edward Zuma and Duduzane Zuma following their comments on social media and the media allegedly encouraging and inciting violence following the former president’s incarceration.
Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison by the Constitutional Court for contempt of court after he failed to honour the summons to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture. This saw Duduzile tweet numerous messages in support of her father, under the #FreeZuma banner.
An account, allegedly belonging to Duduzane, also tweeted messages in support of Zuma and possibly inciting violence. However, a video on social media showed Duduzane denying that he owned the social media account.
“We have taken note of the action taken by the Hawks against social media influencer Zamaswazi Majozi for allegedly using her Twitter account to incite and ignite major rioting and looting in KZN and Gauteng in July,” said DA MP Andrew Whitfield.
He said the DA welcomed the arrest of individuals who allegedly either planned, orchestrated, or incited the looting.
However, Whitfield said it seemed that there were glaring disparities in the treatment of ordinary South Africans involved in the looting compared to those who are close to the political elite.
“Despite the fact that the DA laid charges against the Zuma siblings and the fact that their tweets and comments are in the public domain for all to see, no action has been taken against them.
“The Zuma siblings’ comments and statements were no less inflammatory than those allegedly made by Majozi and others and they should face the same legal consequences,” he said.
Whitfield, who is also the DA’s shadow police minister, said this could lead to the conclusion that the law is not implemented equally. He said his party demands that all citizens, including the politically connected, be punished using the same standard.
“Law enforcement officials must pursue criminality without fear or favour to demonstrate that all South Africans are equal before the law and that all criminal offences will be punished. To this end, we reiterate our appeal for the SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to hold the Zumas to account to the fullest extent of the law,” said Whitfield.
The DA also opened criminal charges against EFF leader Julius Malema. This was after Malema tweeted that the EFF would take to the streets if the SANDF was deployed to help stop violence and looting in KZN and Gauteng.
Malema cited numerous incidents that took place last year during the hard lockdown.
Sunday Independent