According to a report via News 24, the South African army is currently believed to be on standby to tackle the civil unrest situation happening in, and around, Tshwane/Pretoria.
According to the report, a source close to the situation with first-hand knowledge said a special unit was on standby to assist the police, but a final decision has not yet been made on whether or not to deploy the unit. According to the report, the army cannot be deployed without South African president Jacob Zuma informing the Speaker of Parliament of such a decision.
Violence erupted in the city, according to News 24, when residents protested against ANC’s decision to select Thoko Didiza as the ANC mayoral candidate for Tshwane.
Kgosientso Ramokgopa, soon to be former mayor of Tshwane, had pleaded with the public to not resort to violence and that they should rather discuss the ANC’s decision; however, this was strongly rejected by the community who chanted: “No Sputla, no vote.”
Since the decision to replace Ramokgopa, one person was shot dead and several others were wounded. Social media has reacted to the current situation of civil unrest. The tweets can be found below:
Perpetrators of the #TshwaneUnrest will face the full might of the law.
— South African Gov (@GovernmentZA) June 21, 2016
Mahlobo says he knows the people involved. Said the same thing when Vuwani was on fire. #TshwaneUnrest
— Ranjeni Munusamy (@RanjeniM) June 21, 2016
Sad day in our lovely city.Why do something so idiotic!Please think about what you doing,opposite of nation building #TshwaneUnrest
— Pierre Joubert (@Jiggs_7) June 21, 2016
Please ANC, don’t make Tshwane another Marikana.Address the core issues before you act. #TshwaneUnrest
— Ricky Singh (@Rikkising) June 21, 2016
They burned down Stanza Bopape hospital. The same hospital their parents and children use. What a sad reality #TshwaneUnrest
— Mama Sihle (@Hlengz_) June 21, 2016
eNCA | We won’t allow #TshwaneUnrest anarchy to continue: Minister https://t.co/pV0knqwTTO pic.twitter.com/xmdojIaBVm
— eNCA (@eNCA) June 21, 2016
Atteridgeville, Pretoria is burning! ? This is what the ANC / SABC / Hlaudi don’t want you to see!! #TshwaneUnrest pic.twitter.com/3Zcac2yoJt
— Leandri J van Vuuren (@Lean3JvV) June 21, 2016
I also like @MayorOfTshwane but this #TshwaneUnrest is all so unnecessary! There’s no logic behind the asern and blocking of roads ??
— Lehlogonolo Thokoane (@ImHlogiThokoane) June 21, 2016
Go rough. Menlyn has closed its doors. #TshwaneUnrest
— Thato Mokwena (@Thatohatsi) June 21, 2016
Watching #TshwaneUnrest like pic.twitter.com/B8K99HXJer
— Sibonelo Zikalala (@s1b0n310z) June 21, 2016
My heart goes out to students studying in difficult conditions #TshwaneUnrest
— Alta de Waal (@AltadeWaal) June 21, 2016
Darryl Linington
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