Top business and government officials have warned that South Africa is set to face a repeat of the July 2021 riots as very little has been done to address the issues facing the country over the last year., Business Unity South Africa chief executive Cas Coovadia says the country’s law enforcement is a particular point of concern, with the ANC’s upcoming elective conference set to contribute to the violence.
These concerns were echoed by the head of the Presidency’s investment and infrastructure office Kgosientso Ramokgopa, who described the situation as a ‘ticking time tomb’,“The price of fuel and its relationship with where we are. Don’t watch TV and think people are bombing each other here, the bombing is in the fridge. The bomb is on the stove. And when it explodes, no one will be able to stop it. If food prices continue to rise it means the poor must have one meal.
In the bank’s upside scenario, rising socio-economic opportunities and greater political responsiveness diminish the risks of social unrest, particularly as the organisers of the July 2021 riots are brought to account. Sasria is a state-managed entity that provides cover for riots and other damage caused by civil violence. In a presentation to the National Council of Provinces at the end of April, the group said that the riots in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng saw it payout over R37 billion in damage claims.