Four years after the July riots, SA's crime intelligence remains broken
Image: Doctor Ngcobo/African News Agency(ANA)
Four years ago today, South Africa witnessed one of the most violent episodes of civil unrest since the dawn of democracy.
The July 2021 riots in some parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, left more than 300 people dead, caused an estimated R50 billion in economic damage, and exposed deep cracks in the country's security apparatus.
Now, as the anniversary passes, those cracks remain — especially in crime intelligence, which insiders and experts say is still plagued by dysfunction, corruption, and internal power struggles.
This week, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi laid bare ongoing failures in the country's justice system as South Africa marks the fourth anniversary of the riots that claimed more than 300 lives and cost the economy an estimated R50 billion.
DA parliamentary portfolio committee chair of police, Ian Cameron said that since the riots, crime intelligence (CI) has not improved in the province.
"It has not been beefed up since 2021, especially with the current controversy regarding management of the SAPS and many people being implicated in many different things. I cannot say with confidence that crime intelligence within the SAPS has been adequately increased," Cameron said.
Four years post-riots: The ongoing crisis in South Africa's crime intelligence.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo/African News Agency(ANA)
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A police source who spoke to IOL on condition of anonymity and who was on the frontline of the riots in 2021 said he believes that after the riots there was visible improvements due to pressure placed on the police's top brass.
However, the officer said that as internal factions grew within the police - in the years after the riots - so did the morale of the rank and file members
"High ranking officers made it dysfunctional as they used crime intelligence to fight internal battles to remove honest cops who were against them and who would not be part of their corruption as their intentions were to loot secret funds from CI," the officer said.
He went on to claim that they also used crime intelligence resources to unlawfully eavesdrop on politicians by high ranking police officers based at the KZN Provincial Headquarters.
"Crime intelligence is weak because funds were stolen. Now there is no money to pay informers to give info on organised crime syndicates," he added.
KZN violence monitor Mary de Haas told IOL that the province remains plagued by abnormally high levels of violence. "Highly sophisticated unknown forces are attempting to destabilise the province," said De Haas. "This is a warning, especially in light of the standoff between the provincial commissioner and the police minister."
De Haas also cited circulating messages alleging that Mkhwanazi should be left alone, or further unrest would erupt.
Is South Africa's Crime Intelligence Failing? A Look Four Years After the July Riots.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo/African News Agency(ANA)
Looting remains a persistent threat in the province. On Tuesday, passersby looted a truck carrying rice after it overturned on the N3 at Van Reenen's Pass.
"Thousands of 10kg bags of Tastic rice were removed by passing motorists and local residents," said Reaction Unit South Africa.
Private security has again come under the spotlight. Manhar Parshotam, founder of Dragon Protection Services, criticised the SAPS for failing to stop the violence.
"I have rarely seen police officers dedicated to their work. It was the security companies and their members who worked tirelessly throughout," Parshotam said.
He recalled the chaos in 2021, likening the crowd of looters at Berea Centre to the Comrades Marathon.
In 2022, then-police minister Bheki Cele told the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) that state intelligence withheld crucial information that could have helped SAPS respond more effectively. He also blamed bureaucratic red tape for hampering public safety.
"It was clear something was coming. Preparations would have helped. Several hundred million rands' worth of equipment remains unused due to legal constraints," Cele said, citing laws requiring multiple ministerial approvals before crime intelligence can deploy surveillance tools.
University of Johannesburg research associate and crime expert Calvin Rafadi agreed that the violence was orchestrated. "The scale and coordination overwhelmed law enforcement," he said. "Our crime intelligence and state security services were caught off guard. These provinces were targeted for their large populations and high unemployment and drug use rates."
He noted this created fertile ground for opportunistic looting, with many residents seizing the chance to benefit from the chaos.
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