DURBAN - Four years ago flames, fury and horror gripped the country.
What began as a political protest over former President Jacob Zuma's arrest, exploded into one of the darkest weeks in post-democratic South Africa.
KwaZulu-Natal became a battleground. Shops were looted. People died. Communities were torn apart.
By the time the violence ended, over 300 people were dead, the economy lost R50 billion, and the country’s fragility was laid bare.
A report by the South African Human Rights Commission found glaring failures in the very institutions meant to protect us.
Philile Ntuli, the SA Human Rights Commissioner said, "The July Unrest created a climate of fear and a climate of tension, prompting many people of all races, to take to the streets in an effort to protect their homes and their neighborhoods, particularly in the absence of visible policing."
From intelligence lapses to a total breakdown in communication, police failed to act on early warnings.
Law enforcement agencies were simply unprepared and there’s not been enough accountability.
While some heads have rolled, including top police and intelligence officials, some believe not enough has been done to prevent political unrest from happening again.