South Africa has very high levels of unemployment, rising poverty, and a growing number of people who go to bed hungry.
There are also around 28 million people who rely on the government’s social grants every month to survive.
“These grants are becoming less valuable because of high inflation.
South Africa’s society is already very polarised, and the uncertainty surrounding the elections creates a volatile mix.
Some political leaders’ unrealistic promises and divisive rhetoric to gain votes add fuel to the fire.
He referenced Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s promise that if the ANC wins the elections, everyone could immediately go to private hospitals.
“Imagine a hundred people going to a private hospital, and there is a confrontation with private security.
All these factors put pressure on the society, and I am very concerned about the possibility of violence,” Roodt said.
He said in a worst-case scenario, there could be a repeat of the violence and looting experienced in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng in July 2021.
“There can be a spark that sets the whole thing in motion. That is what I am concerned about,” he said.
The unrest can pick up momentum because of the underlying factors, like unemployment and poverty. These forces can drive violence in South Africa.”
The upcoming elections have led to heightened uncertainty as the ruling ANC could lose its majority for the first time since it took power.
