2016 Tshwane riots

The Tshwane riots occurred in the South African city of Pretoria and the surrounding City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality for several days from 20 June 2016, leading to the deaths of at least five people.

Tshwane riots
Date20-23 June 2016
Location
Tshwane
Caused byUnilateral appointment by the African National Congress of Thoko Didiza as its candidate for mayor of Tshwane in the 2016 municipal elections.[1]
Methods
Resulted in5 dead, 54 people arrested

Riots

The protests were sparked by dissatisfaction with the appointment of Thoko Didiza as the incumbent African National Congress's (ANC) Tshwane mayoral candidate in the upcoming South African municipal elections of 2016.[1][2] By 22 June forty people had been arrested for participating in the riots.[3][4] By the time the riots ended in Tshwane on 23 June a total of 54 people had been arrested.[5] Rioters looted businesses[4] and attacked members of the public including immigrants and small traders.[5][6] Nineteen busses worth R28-million had been torched in the riots within the first two days of rioting with the worst rioting occurring in the areas of Mamelodi‚ Atteridgeville‚ Mabopane‚ Soshanguve and Hammanskraal.[7]

Minister of State Security David Mahlobo stated that the protests were started by ANC members "who were not satisfied with the processes" that resulted in Didiza being appointed the party's candidate for mayor of Tshwane. The ANC Youth League went on to accuse supporters of ANC member and incumbent Tshwane mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, as the people responsible for initiating the riots.[7]

Riots spread to Cape Town by 1 July 2016 with protesters stoning vehicles and torching buses along the N2 highway outside the neighbourhood of Nyanga. The protests in Cape Town were sparked by the announcement that Xolani Sotashe was to be the ANC's choice as candidate for the mayor of Cape Town.[1]

References
  1. "Drivers mugged as tribal riots spread to Cape Town". The Times. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  2. "Tshwane crisis: When factionalism runs riot | Daily Maverick". www.dailymaverick.co.za. 21 June 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  3. "Two die in Tshwane riots as protests continue in the capital". Business Day Live. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  4. Nkosi, Bongani. "Shops remain shut in Tshwane as protests, looting subside". Times LIVE. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  5. Dlamini, Neo Goba‚ Thabang Thaba And Penwell. "Shop owners fearful in the wake of Tshwane riots". Times LIVE. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  6. "GroundUp: Somalis fear for their lives after Tshwane riots | Daily Maverick". www.dailymaverick.co.za. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  7. Digital, TMG. "Security minister admits ANC members sparked Tshwane riots". Rand Daily Mail. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
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