MBUYISENI Zuma (36), the alleged mastermind of the July 2021 unrest following the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.
This sentence was handed down by the Pietermaritzburg Magistrates Court in KZN on Wednesday, 29 November.
He was convicted for contravening sections 17 and 18 of the Riotous Assemblies Act for inciting people to gather and commit public violence.
The charges relate to incidents of looting and public violence that happened in July 2021 in some parts of the country, especially in KZN.
During that time, the Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg was looted and burnt to the ground, and it was further estimated that the damage caused by the looting and fire was nearly R500 million.
This is the same mall that serviced five different communities and about 5 000 people who collected their Sassa grants there.
In a footage that has since gone viral and shared widely on social media platforms, Zuma, who is not related to former president Zuma, was seen making an inciteful video about the Brookside Mall and distributing it.
During the trial proceedings, state prosecutor Advocate Yuri Gangai led the evidence of video footage, audio clips and the testimony of a guard who worked at the mall.
ALSO READ | Mum: Blesser made my child (12) pregnant
Gangai further led the evidence of two experts who translated the audio clips.
In aggravation of the sentence, Gangai led the testimony of the mall manager at the time it was burned.
Zuma was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for count one.
Two years, which are suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of the same offences during the period of suspension.
He was further sentenced to six years imprisonment, two years to run concurrently with count one.
As a result, the effective sentence of 12 years is direct imprisonment.
KZN National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Natasha Ramkisson-Kara hailed the sentence and hopes this will serve as a lesson to the next person who engages in such activities.
"While the NPA in KZN has finalised several cases concerning the July 2021 unrest, this is the first conviction where an individual has been convicted and subsequently sentenced for inciting the unrest.
"We hope that this sentence serves as a deterrent to others who intend on engaging in similar offences. We commend the working relationship between the DPCI KZN and the Prosecution," she said.
Earlier this month, former radio personality Ngizwe Mchunu, who remained steadfast that he is innocent, was acquitted on incitement charges linked to the unrest.
