#TshwaneUnrest: Twitter users react to violent protests

The unrest in Tshwane has quickly become the number one Twitter topic in South Africa, as citizens and journalists alike report on the ongoing violent protests.

The protests took place shortly after Thoko Didiza was announced as the ANC’s mayoral candidate for Tshwane.

Political leaders/groups lead the charge against the unrest.

We condemn in the strongest terms the outbreak of violence and destruction of property which has occurred during #TshwaneUnrest

— South African Gov (@GovernmentZA) June 21, 2016

Perpetrators of the #TshwaneUnrest will face the full might of the law.

— South African Gov (@GovernmentZA) June 21, 2016

#Duarte: ANC has noted & is deeply disturbed by the outbreak of violence which took place at the outskirts of the meeting held yesterday.

— ANC (@MYANC) June 20, 2016

#Duarte: A member of the ANC passed away and several others were injured. #PeoplesMayors

— ANC (@MYANC) June 20, 2016

After spending last night on the ground, @SollyMsimanga can confirm that the violence is a symptom of ANC factionalism & in-fighting.

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) June 21, 2016

Where is @MYANC as Mamelodi burns over the selection not election of Thoko Didiza @SollyMsimanga @Our_DA pic.twitter.com/1ch4vZuX6R

— Motheo Mtimkulu (@londons_kid) June 20, 2016

Take your nonsense 2 @MYANC office and leave #Tshwane infrastructure alone.@SAPoliceService should protect our property against @MYANC thugs

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) June 20, 2016

If it’s @MYANC u are fighting against, why burn a bus? Does that bus belong to @MYANC? Why block a road in Mamelodi? Is Gwede driving in it?

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) June 21, 2016

Photos and video clips of the destruction also made the rounds…

Cars and buildings burnt at the Winterveld Water Services #TshwaneUnrest pic.twitter.com/jWSEZrCq7x

— Sthembiso Lebuso (@StheLebusoSA) June 21, 2016

#TshwaneUnrest Roads blocked as protest over Didiza nomination intensifies|https://t.co/aSxjoPmpNI pic.twitter.com/MBjKQwsiXc

— ANN7 (@ANN7tv) June 21, 2016

View over Attridgeville now #TshwaneUnrest – many roads closed. Situation very tense. #EWNchopper pic.twitter.com/huFvw8txvk

— Aki Anastasiou (@AkiAnastasiou) June 21, 2016

#TshwaneUnrest Buses torched last night. Video: @nxumalo4 pic.twitter.com/OQccnIkeLr

— City Press Online (@City_Press) June 21, 2016

#TshwaneUnrest some motorists waiting on the side of the road, say they wanted to collect their workers pic.twitter.com/kK3QXcuYQQ

— POWER987 News (@POWER987News) June 21, 2016

Aftermath of #TshwaneUnrest. Busses torched. pic.twitter.com/LDqZtB7Cft

— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) June 21, 2016

#TshwaneUnrest Residents singing and dancing in the streets of Attridgeville @News24 pic.twitter.com/5iw6o9gVPH

— Karabo Ngoepe (@karabongoepe1) June 21, 2016

Nike Store looted. #TshwaneUnrest. pic.twitter.com/n8MDFprdbw

— RHEST (@_RHEST) June 21, 2016

#TshwaneUnrest A shoprite truck which was on route to deliver goods has also been set alight.Kg pic.twitter.com/zMhKi8LgBj

— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) June 21, 2016

Twitter users also took the SABC to task over their (non) coverage.

Troubling aspect of #TshwaneUnrest is number of S.Africans gleefully declaring they are watching a city burn as a slight at SABC censorship

— Ryan Cummings (@Pol_Sec_Analyst) June 21, 2016

No coverage of #TshwaneUnrest on SABC? who still doubts that Zuma administration is increasingly becoming a dictatorship?

— Kagiso (@KayGee_Ram) June 21, 2016

What SABC/ANC media shows us VS reality of what’s going on in Pretoria, South Africa! #ANCunrest #TshwaneUnrest 🔥 pic.twitter.com/e1tEvWkvDU

— Ulrich J van Vuuren (@UlrichJvV) June 21, 2016

Surreal. #SABC‘s @MorningLiveSABC on Tues morning talk about ‘Strawberry Moon’ occurence; zero time for talk/reporting on #TshwaneUnrest

— TVwithThinus (@TVwithThinus) June 21, 2016

Shockingly ironic: Very first mention of ‘busses burning’ on #SABC‘s @MorningLiveSABC comes in its outsourced traffic report. #TshwaneUnrest

— TVwithThinus (@TVwithThinus) June 21, 2016

#TshwaneUnrest #Mamelodi #Atteridgeville SABC journos deleting their draft tweets & RTs like 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/nEB4HR1sZ3

— Tumi Sole (@tumisole) June 21, 2016

Featured image: GovernmentZA via Flickr