The EFF has called for state security minister Ayanda Dlodlo to be sacked for allegedly misleading the public and parliament with her claims that her department fed intelligence information to the police at the start of the unrest.

The party said it reached out to Dlodlo with questions about her claims, but the answers were not forthcoming. It further accused her of peddling misinformation during a critical time in the country. 

“This is evidence of how dangerous minister Ayanda Dlodlo is to the national security and stability of our country. She is part of the information peddlers who lie to our people to protect their utter incompetence.

“She has misled the public and her officials in the State Security Agency (SSA) have deliberately misled parliament to hide their utter incompetence and negligence,” said the party. 

Dlodlo told journalists last week the situation could have been worse had the SSA not alerted police to the planned demonstrations in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

She was responding to criticism that law enforcement did little to avert the unrest.

However, TimesLIVE reported that police minister Bheki Cele earlier this week denied receiving intel from SSA. He said he would have signed the information after receiving it from Dlodlo, but this never happened.

“It’s not that I have never seen that product. These products you sign for when you receive them. You sign. When you receive the product of state security, you sign. You go and check my signature there,” said Cele.

The two provinces saw violent protests, mass looting of businesses and destruction of property in the last week. The demonstrations started in KwaZulu-Natal after the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma, before spreading north. 

The EFF said Dlodlo's claim gave an impression that the government knew about the unrest but elected not to act, which amounts to treason. 

“Over 200 people lost their lives and thousands more their livelihoods have been destroyed. If government allowed this to happen, then it has perpetuated a crime against humanity and those responsible must be held accountable,” the party said.

Minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told journalists on Wednesday that police have arrested four people linked to the public violence, including former Ukhozi FM DJ Ngizwe Mchunu.

“The four suspects have been remanded in custody in Gauteng for bail application and the National Prosecution Authority will comment further on the details of the prosecution. One person who was arrested was released by the court and the SAPS are undertaking further investigations,” said Ntshavheni.