GOOD party asks police to investigate members of three WhatsApp groups involved in instigating last month’s insurrection
4 August 2021
The GOOD Party has passed information relating to three WhatsApp groups apparently formed in order to instigate the acts of terrorism, insurrection and looting in KwaZulu-Natal last month to the police unit, Crimes Against the State.
The information was leaked to the GOOD Party by members of the ANC. Although the GOOD Party is very wary of becoming embroiled or used, in ANC factionalism, the content on the Whatsapp groups is too explicit and damning to be ignored.
"While the country has been focussed on 12 instigators, so-called Big Fish who have not been named and may or may not exist, the Whatsapp groups provide evidence of a number of people who acted with the common purpose of organising and instigating the violence and destruction," GOOD Secretary-General Brett Herron said.
"According to the State, several key instigators have been arrested but there is little to indicate the extent or seniority of their involvement. The State's law-enforcement agencies must investigate these crimes without fear, faction or favour," Herron said.
The three Whatsapp groups brought to the GOOD Party's attention were formed immediately after former President Jacob Zuma handed himself in to the police and was incarcerated, late on the evening of 7 July 2021, in compliance with the Constitutional Court's contempt of court order.
The "ETHEKWINI SHUTDOWN" WhatsApp group was evidently set up on morning of the 8th July 2021 by Samke Gumede, a member of the ANC in eThekwini.
The "INK SHUTDOWN 10/07/2021" WhatsApp group was set up on the morning of 9th July 2021. "INK" refers to Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu regions of the ANC.
And, the "FREE ZUMA INFORMATION" WhatsApp group was created on the 8th July 2021, initially called FREE ZUMA COORDINATORS. Notable members of this group include Carl Niehaus and Andile Lungisa.
With the assistance of whistle blowers, researchers and members of the public we have managed to identify 26 individuals who appear to be participants in the violence and looting.
Messages, voice-notes and videos posted to these groups confirm that it was well-orchestrated and it was implemented by these participants with the intention of over-turning the state. Many of the posts are triumphant in response to some of the worst violence and destruction witnessed in this country since the end of apartheid.
Messengers and messages included:
Samke Gumede, whose first message on the Ethekweni Shutdown group was: "Comrades our goal is simple...we shutdown iBayhead ksasa..."
Vusi Mavura, who posted vile comments like "petrol bom one police station" and "Transnet you. Airport you than business sector you next..."
Nkukluleko Zulu, who posted "it makes sense to disturb the administration province", encouraging the "element of surprise" by posting "the only thing 2 create a element of surprise is distabilising the country anywhere, anytime without announcement".
Lihle Mnguni, who posted "the city should be up in flames"
Tsekiso Simamane, who posted a voice note including one which said "police are the enemies of our community, police are killing our black South Africans, brutally so, we will retaliate their families will cry, we will burn their houses, they must go back to stay with whites on suburbs because whatever is affecting us they are not getting affected. We are going to kill them back. Now we will retaliate. We cant have black police officers who will kill our black brothers and black sisters in this country. We will kill them back. Burn them. They're the enemy of our society. They are the enemy...we will burn all police stations. Now is the time to also burn all prisons...and courts in this country".
Mbali Ka Ncube, who posted a voice note saying "just become official terrorists of South Africa. Let's destroy everything..."
Sfiso Sokhulu, who appears to have directly planned an attack on Bridge City Mall. His post says "Tomorrow morning we will be closing Bridge City Shopping Centre and meeting time will be 3am at Bridge City...let us mobilise all our forces on the ground".
Sipho Mhlongo, who posted a video of an ATM being broken and stolen using a small bulldozer. Mhlongo is apparently also a General in the Zulu Regiment.
All the above individuals are members or supporters of the ANC, bar Mhlongo, who is apparently a Leader of the National Freedom Party (NFP), a breakaway party from the IFP.
A memory stick containing the information on the three Whatsapp groups was handed to Crimes Against the State, in Cape Town, after a GOOD conversation with the head of the unit.
Issued by Brett Herron, Secretary General, GOOD, 4 August 2021
