July Unrest Looter Gets 8 Years Imprisonment, National Prosecuting Authority Welcomes Sentencing

• A man who looted a KwaZulu-Natal shop was sentenced to eight years imprisonment at the Durban Regional Court
• Njabulo Ncube was found guilty of housebreaking with intent to steal and theft and said he could not afford to pay the R27 000 worth of damages
• The National Prosecuting Authority in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed the sentencing

DURBAN - The Durban Regional Court has sentenced a man who looted a shop during the unrest last July to eight years imprisonment. Njabulo Ncube was found guilty of housebreaking with intent to steal and theft.

KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority Spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Ncube told the court that he could not afford to pay the R27 000 worth of damages. He was therefore sentenced accordingly.

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, Ramkisson-Kara said the NPA welcomed the sentence of Ncube. When asked if others accused of looting would be handed over a similar sentence, she said:

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“Each case will be decided on its own merits. Therefore, the sentences handed over will vary.”

The matter was successfully finalised by Regional Court Prosecutors Kuveshni Pillay and Thami Njapha, TimesLIVE reported.

According to News24, over 3 000 people in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng were arrested for looting and other related charges. More than 90 people were arrested for being in possession of looted goods in KwaZulu-Natal. While at least 14 people in Gauteng were found with stolen items.

South Africans react to the sentence:

@sgigaba said:

“If you’re prepared to do a crime, must be prepared to do time.”

@majozi05 commented:

“It’s too much he shouldn’t even spend a day, we have the main looters who looted and made this man hungry but they are still at their homes.”

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@ZoobanSingh posted:

“Just this one? If this is being used to set an example, then it’s in poor taste. To vilify one and leave many others off the hook, is just plain wrong. Give him a sentence proportionate to the crime. He stole. If he destroyed property too, add the aggravation. It’s not arbitrary.”

@SPILLERMORE added:

“No, that’s too harsh. The real looters are in Parliament and Boar Rooms walking free. That is injustice.”

Hawks arrest more alleged instigators of July unrest and looting, over 40 arrests made so far

In a related matter, Briefly News the Hawks have arrested a total of 46 alleged instigators of the unrest that rocked South Africa in July 2021.

Hawks boss Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya led a media briefing on Tuesday, 23 August where he lauded the success of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in investigating the July unrest and the supposed instigators of the week-long looting spree that spread across parts of the country.

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Hawks have arrested two more people linked to the unrest, which brings the number of new suspects arrested on Tuesday to 11.

Source: Briefly News