Former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member Bonginkosi Khanyile, who is on trial for his alleged role in the July unrest, asserted no one looted in the name of former president Jacob Zuma.

Instead, he said, poverty was a key reason for hundreds of thousands of people looting retailers and other stores in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng during the July 2021 unrest.

Khanyile faces a charge of incitement to commit public violence, as well as charges of contravention of the Disaster Management Act relating to the acts of looting and violence.

He was arrested in August 2021 in Gauteng.

Senior prosecutor Yuri Gangai previously told the court he would use five separate video clips as key evidence to convict Khanyile.

'… until Bab'Msholosi is released'

In one of the clips, he is seen saying, in isiZulu, that those who are burning the country must continue to do so "until Bab'Msholosi is released".

In the video, he added those who were blocking roads, must continue to do so "until Bab'Msholosi is released".

"Those who are fighting must continue fighting until Msholosi is released. Amandla! Viva Jacob Zuma, Viva," he said.

Speaking to the media on Monday - shortly after his case was adjourned so he could add an advocate to his legal team - Khanyile said Zuma, who was once his close ally, was not the reason for the unrest.

Instead, he added Zuma's arrest came during a strict Covid-19 lockdown.

"Under lockdown, small businesses collapsed, and others were swimming in a pool of poverty and hunger. Zuma became a spark. Some people were looting rice but did not care about him," he said.

He and Zuma appeared to be close political allies until Khanyile joined the Patriotic Alliance.

The 2021 looting was strictly in the name of "poverty" and "peer pressure", he said.

"When people were looting, I was in Umlazi. You would see someone coming home with a TV, then a woman will ask her boyfriend why he is sitting at home and force him to go take something."

Khanyile alleged there was no authority and no one directing the public to loot.

Much of the narrative from experts and witnesses for the July unrest indicates ring leaders would gain access to premises and then allow the general public to loot.

Khanyile labelled this as a false narrative, adding, "It was something happening on the ground. There was no one in charge. Anyone who believes there were those marshalling the public is lying."

Speaking about this trial, which was postponed to Friday, he said he would not "run away".

"I have no fear in my heart because I am an innocent man. I never took a fridge, burned a mall, stole anything or ever instructed anyone to steal anything. Why should I run from this case? Only a guilty person would do that."

Khanyile said he would gladly accept jail time.  

"I said even if they illegally sentence me to 30 years, I will take it with honour because I know I am an innocent man."

Without evidence, he criticised the court, saying the presiding magistrate "wants to run this trial with feelings instead of using the law".

"I think the attitude of the court is bad."