She has dismissed as false suggestions that her department failed to provide police with intelligence that could have assisted them to foil the violent protests and looting.

“There is information that doing it’s round about five people that are on a list, who are the instigators of this whole thing. We are investigating that and we will be investigating the individuals that are on the list.

If you listen to Minister Cele, at no point did he say, we did not have information. That information was provided but there was not enough police and soldiers on the ground, the answer is no! There were issues of logistics as well.

I don’t want to be seen as throwing Minister Cele under the bus because this is a corroborated effort, Information had been flowing.”

Meanwhile on Wednesday the National Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC), Gwede Mantashe, said the current violence, looting, and vandalism that has gripped parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal has nothing to do with  Zuma.

Speaking to the media at the Chris Hani Mall in Vosloorus, Mantashe said these are thugs who are seeing an opportunity to loot.

The mall has been a scene of chaos since Sunday with hundreds of looters breaking into the mall and leaving it in complete ruins.

The eNCA reports according to the ANC Veterans League president, Snuki Zikalala, the unrest currently taking place was orchestrated by pure criminals. Zikalala said those who are responsible for such criminality must be held accountable.

"It is orchestrated and it's up to law enforcement agencies to hunt these criminals and ensure that they face the consequences," Zikalala said.

"It unacceptable that in our democratic dispensation we have this mass looting and destruction of property. This is costing the economy, it's going to be difficult to recover.

"We've seen this happen in Zimbabwe and other countries. We never thought it would happen in our country. We are happy that the army has been deployed. We hope and insist that those who are behind all of this must be [taken to] court and face the consequences."

Electricity and water infrastructure have come under attack. 

The Independent Communications Authority said 113 cellphone towers have been vandalised. 

SABC News