Mdumiseni Zuma (36), the Brookside Mall unrest instigator, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court yesterday morning.

Zuma, originally from Nkandla, was convicted on two counts of incitement to commit public violence.

The National Prosecuting Authority’s KZN spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara says the court sentenced Zuma to an effective 12 years following his conviction of contravening Sections 17 and 18 of the Riotous Assemblies Act.

It was found that he incited people to gather and commit public violence when he made an inciteful video on July 11, about Brookside Mall, and distributed it on WhatsApp.

The video, which was in isiZulu, was taken just before 18:00. Translated into English, he said: “Well, comrades, as you had sent me, can you see how quiet the mall is? They have closed at Brookside. If they dare open, we will arrive at 06:00 in the morning to check if they have opened. If they are open, we are going to destroy here. We are going to cause destruction here. We do not want any person… working tomorrow.

“It is shut down everywhere, the entire KZN. Maritzburg, we don’t want anything. We are closing. If they dare open here, we are coming in tomorrow.”

During the trial, Zuma testified that he was drunk when he made the video and it was a prank.

Representing the state, Senior State Advocate Yuri Gangai led the evidence of video footage, audio clips and the testimony of a guard who worked at the mall. Gangai further led the evidence of two experts who translated the audio clips.

In aggravation of sentence, Gangai led the testimony of the manager of the mall, at the time it was burnt. The man said that the estimated damage caused by the looting and fire was approximately R500m. He further stated that the mall serviced five different communities, as well as about 5 000 people who collected their Sassa grants there. They were all adversely affected.

Watch: Police minister welcomes sentencing: